^l^e  Iroquoi^  T'rail, 


~o« 


FOOT=  PRINTS 


OF   THE- 


SIX  NATIONS, 


-IN 


Customs,  Traditions,  and  History, 


-BY- 


W.  M.  BKiAUCHAMP,  S.  T.  D., 


•    •..•'   iN    WHIN  H   ARK  •INCXirrEr 
••.•••»•        •"  t  *  t   *  . 

**•<*«  •  *      t       \      *    *  ,    *  '• 

——OK 

Ancient  History  of  the  Six  Nations. 


Printed  by   H.  C    BEAUCHAMP, 

RECORDER  OFFICE, 

Fayetteville.  N.  Y. 


1  N  f  >  2  . 


q  o  <^ 


,.  >  .''  .  .. 


V"  • 


Copyright,  i8gt, 

by 

William   M.  Btauchamp. 


*  •      •         •     •    • 


,  •     •      »   •    »  • 

'        •       *  •    .    -       .         .  . 


•    •  t    .  ,  ,•      . 


T    t  • 


'     •             •      •              •  »     . 

tit            •    •  '           " 

•              •      1         t         •  .   •  • 

•             •      •     •                  .  .      ,' 


'  I  •   1 


B. 

NO. 


Fl 


PR  EFFACE. 


The  four  hundredth  year  of  European-American  history  will 
be  marked  by  many  publications  recalling  early  days,  and  among 
these  the  present  volume  may  find  a  proper  place.  Cusick's 
history  has  been  largely  quoted  in  recent  years,  with  too  much 
deference  to  its  authority,  but  has  become  so  scarce  that  a  re- 
issue seemed  desirable.  At  the  same  time  it  seemed  well  to  add 
a  few  explanatory  notes,  out  of  a  vast  number  collected.  The 
work  has  been  done  under  some  difficulties  of  arrangement  and 
proof  leading,  but  the  important  errors  have  been  noted  in  the 
list  of  errata.  The  author  may  add  that  he  has  long  been  en- 
gaged in  antiquarian  work  relating  to  the  Iroquois  and  other 
early  inhabitants  of  New  York,  and  has  enjoyed  the  advantage 
of  long  personal  acquairitarce  with  the  Onondagas.  His  ex- 
tended field  work,  and  collation  of  authorities,  has  led  him  to 
differ  from  some  conclusions  of  others.  W.  M.  B. 


m 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS. 


t'AfiB. 

Davio  Cusick's  Prkfack, I 


'J 


FoiNDAllON    OF    THK    GrKAT    IsI.ANI),    -           -           -            -  I 

RkAI.  ACCOINI    OK    THF.    SKTTl.FMENr    OF    NoRTH  AmFRICA,  5 

Orioin  of  THK  Five  Nations,        -         -         -         -         -  ii 

NoTFs  on  Cisick's  Skktchks, 39 

Gknfrai,  Notes  on   ihk  Irocjuois,         .         .         .         .  104 

Indian  Fashions.         - 117 

Dreams,           - 118 

Dream  Feast,     --------  ik^ 

Houses, 123 

Names,         - 125 

Women,            -         -         -         -         .         -         -         -         -  126 

Iro(,)uois  Stories, -        -  127 

Okwencha,      -        -        -        -        -        -        -        -        -  132 

Hiawatha,           -         ■         -         -         -        -        .         -  137 

CoNDoi.KNCE, -         -         -         -143 

Caches,       -----•---.  148 


DAVID  CIJSICK'S 


SKETCHES    OF 


ANCIENT    HISTORY 


OK    THK 


SIX  NATIONS, 

COMPRISING 

FIRST-A  TALE  OF  THE  FOUNDATION  OF  THE 

GREAT    ISLAND, 

(NOW  NORTH  AMERICA,) 


TH£  TWO  INFANTS  BOi^N. 


-AND  THE- 


CREATION  OF  THE  UNIVERSE. 


SECOND-A  REAL  ACCOUNT  OF  THE  EARLY  SETTLERS 
OF  NORTH  AMERICA,  AND  THEIR   DISSENSIONS. 


THIRD-ORIGIN    OF  THE   KINGDOM   OF  THE   FIVE   NA- 
TIONS. WHICH  WAS  CALLED 

A  LONG   HOUSE: 
THE    WARS.    P^TKRrK    ANIMALS,    &o. 


KKCUKDEK  PRINT,   KAYET TEVII.I.E,  N.   Y. 


PREFACE. 

1  have  been  long  waiting  in  hopes  that  some  of  my  people, 
ho  have  received  an  Enghsh  education,  would  have  undertaken 
the  work  as  to  give  a  sketch  of  the  Ancient  History  of  the  Six 
Nations;  but  found  no  one  seemed  to  concur  in  the  matter,  after 
ome  hesitation  I  determined  to  conmence  the  work;  but  found 
the  history  involved  with  fables;  and  besides,  examining  myself, 
finding  so  small  educated  that  it  was  impossible  for  me  to  com- 
pose the  work  without  much  difficulty.  After  various  reasons  I 
abandoned  the  idea;  I  however,  took  a  resolution  to  continue 
the  work,  which  I  have  taken  much  pains  procuring  the  ma- 
terials, and  translating  it  into  English  language.  I  have  endea- 
vored to  throw  some  light  on  the  history  of  the  original  popula 
tion  of  the  country,  which  I  believe  never  have  been  recorded. 
I  hope  this  little  work  will  be  acceptable  to  the  public. 

Tuscarora  Village,  June  loth,  1825.       *        David  Cusick. 

PART  I. 

A  Tale  of  the  Foundation  of  the  Great  Island,  now  North 
America: — The  two  Infants  born,  and  the  Creation  of  the  Uni- 
verse. 

Among  the  ancients  there  were  two  worlds  in  existence. 
The  lower  world  was  in  a  great  darkness;  the  possession  of  the 
great  monster;  but  the  upper  world  was  inhabited  by  man- 
kind; and  there  was  a  woman  conceived  and  would  have  the 
twin  born.  When  her  travail  drew  near,  and  her  situation 
seemed  to  produce  a  great  distress  on  her  mind,  and  she  was  in- 
duced by  some  of  her  relatives  to  lay  herself  on  a  mattress 
which  was  prepared,  so  as  to  gain  refreshments  to  her  wearied 
body;   but  while   she   was   asleep   the   very   place   sunk   down 


2  CUSICK  S    SIX    NATIONS. 

towards  the  dark  world.  The  monsters  of  the  great  water  were 
alarmed  at  her  appearance  of  descending  to  the  lower  world;  in 
consequence,  all  the  species  of  the  creatures  were  immediately 
collected  into  where  it  was  expected  she  would  fall.  When  the 
monsters  ware  assembled,  and  they  made  consultation,  one  of 
them  was  appointed  in  haste  to  search  the  great  dee|),  in  or<ler 
to  procure  some  earth,  if  it  could  be  obtained;  accordingly  the 
monster  descends,  which  succeeds,  and  returns  to  the  i)lace. 
Another  requisition  was  presented,  who  would  be  cai)able  to  se- 
cure the  woman  from  the  terrors  of  the  great  water,  but  none 
was  ab'e  to  comply  except  a  large  turtle  came  forward  and  made 
proposal  to  them  to  endure  her  lasting  weight,  which  was  ac- 
cejHed.  The  woman  was  yet  descending  from  a  great  distance. 
The  turtle  executes  upon  the  spot,  and  a  small  quantity  of  earth 
was  varnished  on  the  back  part  of  the  turtle.  The  woman 
alights  on  the  seat  prepared,  and  she  receives  a  satisfaction. 
While  holding  her,  the  turtle  increased  every  moment,  and  be 
come  a  considerable  island  of  earth,  and  apparently  covered  with 
small  bushes.  The  woman  remained  in  a  state  of  unlimited 
darkness,  and  she  was  overtaken  by  her  travail  to  which  she  was 
subject.  While  she  was  in  the  limits  of  distress  one  of  the  in- 
fants was  moved  by  an  evil  opinion,  and  he  was  determined  to 
j.^ass  out  under  the  dde  of  the  jjarent's  arm,  and  the  other  infant 
in  vain  endeavored  to  prevent  his  design.  The  woman  was  in  a 
painful  condition  during  the  time  of  their  disputes,  and  the  in- 
fants entered  the  dark  world  by  compulsion,  and  their  parent  ex- 
pired in  a  few  momenta.  They  had  the  power  of  sustenance 
without  a  nurse,  and  remained  in  the  dark  regions.  After  a  time 
the  turtle  increased  to  a  great  Island,  and  the  infants  were  grown 
up.  and  one  of  them  pt)ssess«'d  with  a  gentle  disposition  and 
named  Knigorio,  i.  e.,  the  gocnl  mind.  The  other  youth  |)osses;ed 
ai  insolence  of  character,  and  was  named  Knigonhahetgea.  i.  e., 
the  bad  mind.  'Hie  good  mind  wa^  not  contented  to  remain  in 
a  dark  situation,  and  he  was  anxious  to  create  a  great  light  in 
ilu' (lark  w(irld;  but  the  bad  mini  \vl\    desirous  that  the  world 


CUSICK  S    SIX    NATIONS.  $ 

jihould  remain  in  a  natural  state.     The  giX)d    mind  determined 
to  prosecute  his  designs,  and  therefore  commences  the  work  of 
«  leation.     At  first  he  took  the  parent's  head,  (the  deceased)  of 
which  he  created  an  orb,  and  establisheil  it  in  the  center  of  the 
lirmament,  and  it  became  of  a  very  superior  nature  to   bestow 
light    to  the  new  world,    (now  the  sun)    and  again  he  took  the 
remnant  of  the  body,  and  formed  another  orb,  which  was  inferior 
to  the  hght,  (now  the  moon.)     In  the  orb  a   cloud  of  legs  ap- 
peared to  prove   it  was  the  body  of  the  good  mind,    (parent.) 
The  former  was  to  give  light  to  the  day,  and  the   latter  to  the 
night;  and  he  also  created  nuner(  us  spots  of  Hght.  (now  stars;) 
these    were    to    regulate    the    days,  nights,    seasons,  years,    etc. 
Whenever  the  light  extended  to  the  dark  world  the    monsters 
were  displea^:ed  and  immediately  concealed  themselves  in   the 
deep  places,   lest  they  should    be    discovered    by    some  human 
l)cings.     The  good  mind  continued  the  works  of  creation,    and 
lie  formed  numerous  creeks  and  rivers  on  the  (ireat  Island,  and 
then  created  numerous  species  of  animals    of  the  smallest  and 
i^reatest.  to  inhabit  the  forests,  and  fish    of  all    kinds  to  inhabit 
the  Waters.     When  he  had  made  the  universe  he  was   in    doubt 
respecting  some  being  to  possess  the  (Ireat  Island;  and  he  formed 
two  images  of  the  <lust  of  the  ground  in  his   own  likeness,  male 
and  female,  and  by  his  breathing  iuto  their  nostrils  he  gave  them 
the  living  souls,  and  named  them   Ea-gwe-howe,    i.    e..    a    real 
peo|ile:  aid  he  gave  the  (ireat  Island,  all  the  animals   of  game 
for  their  maintenance:  and  he  appointed  thunder  to   water  the 
earth  by  frecpient  rains,  agreeable  to  the  nature    of  the    system; 
after  this  the  Island  became  fruitful,  and  vegetation  alTorded  the 
anima's  suSiiste.ice.     Tiie    bad    mind,    while    his    brot'ier    was 
making  the  universe,  went    throughout    the    Island    and    made 
numerous  high  mountains  and  falls  of  water,  and  great  steeps,  and 
also  creates  various  reptiles  which  would  be  injurious  to  man- 
kind; but  the  good  mind  restored  the   Island  to  its  former  con- 
dition.    The  bad  mind  prtjcoedel  further  in  his  motives,  and  he 
made  two  images  of  clay  in  the  form  of  mankind;  but  while  he 


4  CUSICK  S    SIX    NATIONS. 

was  giving  them  existence  they  became  apes;  and  when  he  had 
not  the  power  to  create  mankind  he  was  envious  against  his 
brother;  and  again  he  made  two  of  clay.  The  good  mind  dis 
covered  his  brother's  contrivances,  and  aided  in  giving  them 
Uving  souls,  *  (It  is  said  these  had  the  most  knowk^dge  of  good 
and  evil.)  The  good  mind  now  accomplishes  the  works  of 
creation,  notwithstanding  the  imaginations  of  the  bad  mind  were 
continually  evil;  and  he  attempted  to  enclose  all  the  animals  of 
game  in  the  earth,  so  as  to  deprive  them  from  mankind;  but  the 
good  mind  released  them  from  confinement,  (the  animals  were 
dispersed,  and  traces  of  them  were  made  on  the  rocks  near  the 
cave  where  it  was  closed.)  The  good  mind  experiences  that  his 
brother  was  at  variance  with  the  works  of  creation,  and  feels  not 
disposed  to  favor  any  of  his  proceedings,  but  gives  admonitions 
of  his  future  state.  Afterwards  the  good  mind  requested  his 
brother  to  accompany  him,  as  he  was  proposed  to  inspect  the 
game,  etc.,  but  when  a  short  distance  from  their  nominal  resi- 
dence, the  bad  mind  became  so  unmanly  that  he  could  not  con- 
duct his  brother  any  more.  The  bad  mind  offered  a  challenge 
to  his  brother  and  resolved  that  who  gains  the  victory  should 
govern  the  universe;  and  appointed  a  day  to  meet  the  contest. 
The  good  mind  was  willing  to  submit  to  the  offer,  and  he  enters 
t  he  reconciliation  with  his  brother;  which  he  falsely  mentions 
that  by  whipping  with  flags  would  destroy  his  temporal  life;  and 
he  earnestly  solicits  his  brother  also  to  notice  the  instrument  of 
death,  which  he  manifestly  relates  by  the  use  of  deer  horns,  beat- 
ing his  body  he  would  expire.  On  the  day  appointed  the  en- 
gagement commenced,  which  lasted  for  two  days;  after  pulling 
up  the  trees  and  mountams  as  the  track  of  a  terrible  whirlwind, 
at  last  the  good  mind  gains  the  victory  by  using  the  horns,  as 
mentioned    the  instrument  of  death,  which  he  succeeded  in  de- 


*  It  appears  bv  the  flctitinus  accounts  that  the  said  beings  become  civilized 
people,  and  made  their  residence  in  the  southern  p  irts of  tlie  Island:  but  after- 
wards they  were  destroyed  by  the  barbarous  nations,  and  their  fortiflcatiors  were 
ruined  unto  this  day. 


CUSICKS    SIX    NATIONS.  5 

(  eiving  his  brother,  and  he  crushed  him  in  the  earth;  and  the 
last  words  uttered  from  the  bad  mind  were,  that  he  would  have 
c(|ual  power  over  the  souls  of  mankind  after  death:  and  he  sinks 
down  to  eternal  doom,  and  became  the  Kvil  Spirit.  After  this 
tumult  the  good  mind  rejuired  to  the  battle  ground,  and  then 
visited  the  people  and  retires  from  the  earth. 

PART  II. 

A  real  account  of  the  settlement  of  North  America  and 
their  dissensions. 

In  the  ancient  days  the  (Ireat  Island  apj)eared  upon  the 
big  waters,  the  earth  brought  forth  trees,  herbs,  vegetables,  etc 
the  creation  of  the  land  animals;  the  Eagwehoewe  people  were 
too  created,  and  resided  in  the  north  regions,  and  after  a  time 
some  of  the  people  become  giants  and  committed  outrages  upon 
the  inhabitants,  etc.  After  many  years  a  body  of  Eagwehoewe 
peoj)le  encamped  on  the  bank  of  a  majestic  strt^am,  and  was 
named  Ka/Knoai^e.  now  St.  Lawrence.  After  a  long  time  a 
number  of  foreign  people  sailed  from  a  j)ort  unknown;  but  un- 
fortunately before  reached  their  destination  the  winds  drove  them 
contrary:  at  length  their  ship  wrecked  somewhere  on  the  south- 
ern part  of  the  (ireat  Island,  and  many  of  the  crews  perished:  a 
few  active  persons  were  saved;  they  obtained  some  implements 
and  each  of  them  was  covered  w'ith  a  leather  bag,  the  big  hawks- 
carried  them  on  the  summit  of  a  mountain  and  remained  there 
but  a  short  time  the  hawks  seemed  to  threaten  them,  and  were 
compelled  to  leave  the  mountain.  They  immediately  selected  a 
place  for  residence  anil  built  a  small  fortification  in  order  to 
provide  against  the  attacks  of  furious  beasts;  if  there  should  be 
any  matle.  After  many  years  the  foreign  ])eople  became 
numerous,  and  extended  their  settlements:  but  afterwards  they 
were  destroyed  by  the  monsters  that  overrun  the  country.  About 
this  time  the  Eagwehoewe  people  inhabited  on  the  river  Kana- 
waga  or  St.  La\Vrence;  but  they  could  not  enjoy  tranipiility,  as 
they  were  invaded  by  the  giants  called  Ronnongwetowanea,  who 
came  from  the  north  and  inhabited  considerably;  but  their  mode 


0  CUSICK  S    SIX    NATIONS. 

of  attack  was  slily,  and  never  dared  to  precipitate  themselves 
upon  the  enemy  without  prospect  of  succesf^;  especially  they 
took  advantage  when  the  warriors  were  absent  from  the  town. 
After  plundering  the  people's  houses  and  making  captives  those 
who  were  found,  and  hastily  retreat  to  their  residence  in  the 
north.  An  instance — a  family  of  princer.  lived  near  the  river  St. 
Lawrence,  of  whom,  containing  six  brothers  and  a  sister  and  their 
father,  was  a  noble  chieftain,  who  fell  at  the  contest  of  the  en- 
emy. One  time  the  brothers  went  out  a  day's  hunt  and  leaving 
their  sister  alone  in  the  camp;  unfortunately  while  they  were 
gone  the  giant  makes  vigorous  attacks  and  the  woman  soon  be- 
came a  prey  to  the  mvaders.  Oa  the  eve  the  brothers  return- 
ed and  were  much  grieved  that  their  sister  was  found  missing; 
they  immediately  made  a  search,  but  the  night  was  getting  too 
late,  and  the  darkness  prevented  them.  On  the  morning  the 
eldest  brother  determined  to  pursue  the  enemy  until  he  could 
discover  something  about  their  sister,  and  promised  to  return  in 
seven  days  if  nothing  should  happen,  accordingly  the  prince  set 
out  and  pursued  the  traces  of  the  enemy;  after  journeyed  three 
days  he  reached  the  giant's  residence  about  sundown;  at  first 
sight  he  discovered  his  sister  was  gathering  some  sticks  for  fuel 
near  the  house;  but  as  he  approached  the  sistei  retired;  the  prin- 
cess soon  proved  by  her  conduct  that  she  had  fell  in  love  with 
the  giant,  and  that  it  was  impossible  to  gain  her  confidence.  The 
prince  was  now  brought  to  a  point  of  view  about  the  dread  of  the 
enemy;  but  however  he  was  willing  to  risk  the  dangers  he  was 
about  to  meet;  he  remained  until  about  dusk  and  then  entered 
the  house;  happily  he  was  received  with  most  favorable  terms, 
and  his  fears  were  soon  dissipated,  the  giant  offered  his  pipe  as 
a  tribute  of  resi)ect,  which  the  prince  accepted.  After  receiving 
the  evening  diet  they  talked  a  good  while  without  a  least  ap- 
pearance of  hostility;  as  the  night  was  getting  late  the  prince 
was  invited  to  a  bed;  but  the  giant  was  now  acting  to  deceive 
the  prince;  he  commenced  to  amuse  him  part  of  the  night  in 
singing  songs;  the  giant  had  determined  to  assassinate  the  vis- 


CUSICK.  S    SIX    NATIONS.  7 

iter  the  first  opportunity  as  the  prince  was  so  fatigued  that  he 
was  now  fast  asleep:  he  killed  him  on  the  bed  and  the  body  was 
deposited  in  a  rave  near  the  house  where  he  had  stored  the  car- 
casses. The  giant  was  much  i)leased  of  his  conquest  over  the 
prince,  he  advised  his  wife  to  watch  daily  in  order  to  impose  on 
another  enemy.  The  seven  days  elapsed,  as  the  brother  did  not 
return  the  youngest  brother  Donhtonha  was  much  excited  about 
his  brother  and  resolved  to  pursue  him;  the  Donhtonha  was  the 
most  stoutest  and  ferocious  looking  fellow,  after  arming  himself 
commenced  the  journey,  and  also  arrived  at  the  place  and  time 
as  mentioned,  and  found  his  sister;  but  before  he  had  time  to  re- 
concile her  she  returned  to  the  house  as  she  had  formerly  done, 
and  informed  the  giant  that  some  i)erson  was  coming:  the 
Donhtonha  entered  the  house  with  appearances  of  hostile  dispo 
sition,  and  en(juired  for  his  brother:  this  i)roduced  alarm;  the 
giant  was  promptly  to  jiacify  the  prince;  he  replied  that  he  had 
made  peace  with  the  brother,  who  had  gone  to  visit  some  |)eople 
in  the  neighborhood,  and  it  was  expected  he  would  return  every 
moment.  Uj)on  this  assurance  the  Donhtonha  became  some 
abated;  the  si.ster  provided  some  food  and  he  soon  enjoyed  the 
domestic  felicity:  but,  alas,  the  giant  was  far  from  being  friendly 
and  was  only  forming  a  plan  to  deceive  the  visiter.  'I'he  even- 
ing was  late,  the  Donhtonha  was  out  of  patience  waiting  for  his 
brother  to  come  home,  and  renewed  his  en(piiries:  the  visitor 
was  invited  to  bed;  the  giant  was  in  hopes  to  exterminate  the 
visiter;  he  rose  from  his  eeat  and  ccmmenced  his  usual  custom 
in  singing.  The  Donhtonha  perceived  that  some  evil  design  was 
performing  against  him  and  resolved  to  abandon  the  bed  for 
awhile;  he  begged  leave  for  a  few  moments  and  went  out  after 
various  considerations  from  being  imposed;  he  |>rocured  some 
pieces  of  wood  which  j)roduced  a  faint  light  in  the  night  and  put 
it  above  his  eyelids  and  again  went  to  bed;  the  giant  was  now 
deceived;  while  the  visiter  was  asleep  his  eyes  ajjpeared  as 
though  he  was  awake  continually.  As  soon  as  day  light  the  vis- 
iter hurried  from  the  bed,  and  was  about  to  make  a  search  for 


8  ci'sick's  six  naiions. 

the  deceased  brother,  hut  the  giant  jMotested  which  soon  excited 
suspicions  of  the  act;  after  a  long  debate  the  Donhtonha  attack-    i 
ed  the  giant;  a  severe  conflict  ensued,  at    last    the   giant    was     ' 
killed;  and  burnt  him  in  the  ruins  of  his  house,  but  his  s|)irit  fled 
to  heaven  and  changed  into  one  of  the   eastern    stars.      During 
the  engagement  his  sister  was  grieved  and  fled  to  the  wilderness, 
and  lamented  for  her  deceased  husband,  and  she  died  in  despair, 
and  her  spirit  also  became  one  of  the  northern  stars.     After  the 
conquest  the  search  was  |)rosecuted,  he  discoved  the  remains  of 
his  brother  and  weejjs  over  it  and  burnt  it  to  ashes. 

At  a  time  another  Ronnongwetowanea  attacked  a  small 
town  located  on  the  bank  of  the  Ranawage,  ^St.  Lawrence.) 
This  occurred  in  a  season  when  the  people  were  out  to  hunt,  and 
there  was  no  person  in  the  town  e.xcept  an  old  chief  and  an  a'- 
tendant  named  Yatatonwatea:  while  they  were  enjoying  repose 
in  their  houses  were  suddenly  attacked  by  the  Ronnongwe- 
towanea: but  the  Yatatonwatea  escaped,  went  out  the  back 
door  and  deserted  the  aged  chief  to  the  fate:  however  the 
enemy  spared  no  time,  the  chase  was  soon  |)roseciUed  whic'i 
caused  the  Yatatonatea  to  retreat  as  fast  as  possible;  he  at-  j 
tempted  to  make  resistance  in  various  places,  but  was  comjielled 
to  retire  at  the  ajjpearance  of  the  enemy:  in  vain  he  endeavored 
to  gain  retreat  by  traversing  various  creeks  and  hills;  he  luuler-  i 
took  a  new  method  of  giving  little  effect  uf)on  the  jirogress  of  the 
enemy;  after  running  some  distance  he  discovered  which 
would  |>romptly  cherish  the  imposition,  he  drove  a  flock  of  pig 
eons  in  the  way  to  amuse  the  (giant)  until  he  could  hide  himselt 
uncier  the  bank  of  the  river,  unfortunately  the  flattenng  hope 
seemed  to  fail;  after  remaining  there  but  a  short  time  before  he 
saw  the  enemy  was  coming  in  full  speed,  and  was  soon  obliged  to 
abandon  the  position  and  continue  the  flight;  again  he  tried  to 
conceal  himself  among  the  rocks  of  the  mountains,  but  in  a  mean 
time  the  enemy  advanced  at  the  moment,  of  which  he  became 
dismayed,  finding  that  nothing  could  resist  the  impetuosity  of  the 
pursuer,  but  determined  not  to  surrender  as  long  as  he  was  capa- 


LlSKK  S    blX    N.MIONS.  9 

I  !)!(•  to  kfci)  out  t>f  iIk'  reach;  lie  immediately  took  the  ]iath 
1  winch  iea'ls  to  the  huntmg  grounds  in  search  of  some  jieople 
f  lortunately  at  a  short  (hstance  met  two  warriors  and  hi-  was  in- 
}  stantly  su|>))orted  and  made  vigorous  resistance;  after  terrible 
<  )nilial  the  K()irio;igwet(jwa;iea  was  exterminated;  during  the 
tine  the  warriors  conducted  themselves  as  heroes.  whi<h  gam- 
ed the  triumph,  notwithstanding  one  of  them  received  a  severe 
woimd  hy  the  club.  The  Vatatonwalea  with  alarm  whoop  hasten- 
ed to  the  encampment  and  advised  the  ])eople  of  the  substance 
and  the  dangers  which  the  enemy  might  commit  upon  the  va- 
cant towns.  .As  soon  as  the  people  received  the  intelligence 
i!nnie>liate!y  returned  to  their  settlements,  and  ac(jnvention  were 
held  !))•  the  chieftains  in  order  t(»  take  some  measures  to  defend 
their  countiy.  .\s  the  Ronnongwetowanea  tribe  were  not  num- 
eroiis  and  deemed  it  inex|)eilient  to  raise  a  large  foice  and 
therefore  a  few  hundred  warriors  were  sent  to  subdue  them;  after 
dec  isive  contests  the  warriors  gained  the  victory:  and  it  was  suj»- 
j).),el  liiat  iiie  R  )nnongwetowa'.iea  tribe  has  ever  since  ceased 
to  exisi.  (Tnir.  fate  happened  probably  about  two  thousand 
live  luindre  1  winte..-.  l)>."ft)re  Columbus  discovered  the  .\iner- 
(■  I. )  Tiie  depredations  of  the  enemy  wiiich  so  often  exer- 
cised upon  the  inb.abitants  were  now  terminated;  and  the  country 
e.ijuyed  Willioul  disturbance  many  winters.  .M)out  this  time  a 
nnM-ijievous  per-on  nanied  iShotyerronsgwea,  while  visiting  the 
people  at  t'lrsi  distinguisheil  himself  of  a  good  character  and  in 
niea.i  lime  gained  ihe  confidence  of  the  peo|)ie;  by  doing  this  he 
was  fairly  concealed  from  being  di  covered  of  his  real  designs,  and 
in  a  ^hort  time  began  to  injure  liie  pe(Ji)le;  he  assassinateil  two  war- 
riors secretly,  antl  then  violated  six  virgins,  etc.  .And  the  next 
he  ventured  to  break  the  harmon)-  of  the  nation  and  created  dis- 
sensions a.no.ig  the  people.  .At  this  the  chiefs  were  so  ofit'ended 
that  the  Shotyeronsgwea  was  banished  from  the  village;  when 
he  received  this  treatment  he  deemed  proper  to  desist  from  go- 
ing back  to  any  of  the  towns;  he  immediately  crossed  the  river 
St.  l>awreiu:e  and  move  toward  the  uiid-dav  sun.  and  became  to 


lO  CUSICK  S    SIX    NATIONS. 

a  town  situated  south  of  the  great  lake  (Ontario)  and  he  was  re- 
ceived with  kindness;  but  his  entertainment  could  not  appease 
his  evil  desii^ns;  though  he  apj)eared  reconciled,  one  night  while 
at  the  dancing  house  he  killed  several  warriors;  this  oft'ence  he 
discovered  should  prove  fatal  to  his  person,  and  was  compelled 
to  leave  the  town  and  went  some  other  place  to  do  mischief. 
The  Shotyeronagwea  was  the  greats'  i  mischievous  person  that 
ever  existed  on  the  continent.  He  was  considered  an  agent 
from  bad  spirit.  About  this  time  Big  Quisquiss  (perhaps  the 
Mammoth)  invaded  the  settlements  south  of  Ontario  lake;  the 
furious  animal  push  down  the  houses  and  made  a  great  disturb- 
ance; the  people  was  compelled  to  Hee  from  the  terrible  monster; 
the  warriors  made  oj)position  but  failed;  at  length  a  certain  chief 
warrior  collected  the  men  from  several  towns — a  severe  engage 
ment  took  ])lace,  at  last  the  monster  retired,  but  the  peoj)le  could 
not  remain  Ion*  without  being  disturbed;  Rig  Elk  invaded  the 
towns;  the  animal  was  furious  and  destroyed  many  |)ersons;  how 
ever  the  men  were  soon  collected — a  severe  contest  ensued  and 
the  monster  was  killed. 

About  this  time  the  northern  nations  formed  a  confederacy 
and  seated  a  great  council  fire  on  river  St.  Lawrence;  the  north- 
ern nations  possessed  the  bank  of  the  great  lakes;  the  countries 
in  the  north  were  plenty  of  beavers,  but  the  hunters  were  often 
oi)posed  by  the  big  snakes.  The  people  live  on  the  south  side 
of  the  Big  Lakes  make  bread  of  roots  and  obtain  a  kind  of  pota 
toes  and  beans  found  on  the  rich  soil. 

Perhaps  about  two  thousand  two  hundred  years  before  the 
Columbus  discovered  the  America,  and  northern  nations  ap 
pointed  a  prince,  and  immediately  rejiaired  to  the  south  and 
visited  the  great  Emperor  who  resided  at  the  (lolden  City,  a 
capital  of  the  vast  eni|)ire.  After  a  time  the  Emi)eror  l)uilt  many 
forts  throughout  his  dominions  and  almost  penetrated  the  lake 
Erie;  this  produced  an  excitement,  the  people  of  the  north  felt 
that  they  would  soon  be  dejirived  of  the  country  on  the  south 
side  of  the  Great  Lakes  thev  determined  to  defend  their  countrv 


CUSICKS    SIX    NAllONS.  H 

against  any  infringement  of  foreign  people:  long  bloody  wars  en- 
sued which  |)erha|)s  lasted  about  one  hundred  years;  the  people 
of  the  north  were  too  skillful  in  the  use  of  bows  and  arrows  and 
could  endure  hardships  which  proved  fatal  to  a  foreign  people; 
at  last  the  northern  nations  gained  the  conquest  and  all  the 
towns  and  forts  were  totally  destroyed  and  left  them  in  the  heap 
of  ruins. 

About  this  time  a  great  horned  serpent  apjieared  on  lake 
Ontario,  the  serpent  produced  diseases  and  many  of  the  peoi)le 
died,  but  by  the  aid  of  thunder  bolts  the  monster  was  comi)elled 
to  retire.  A  bia/ing  star  fell  into  a  fort  situated  on  the  St.  Law- 
rence  and  destroyed  the  peoj)le;  this  event  was  considered  as  a 
warning  of  their  destruction.  After  a  time  a  war  broke  out 
among  the  northern  nations  which  continued  until  they  had 
utterly  destroyed  each  other,  the  island  again  become  in  jwsses- 
sion  of  fierce  animals. 

PART  III. 

Origin  of  the  Kingdom  of  the  Five  Nations,  which  was  called 
a  Long  House;  the  Wars,  Fierce  Animals,  etc. 

By  some  inducement  a  body  of  jjeople  was  concealed  in  the 
mountain  at  the  falls  named  Kuskehsawkich,  (now  Oswego.) 
When  the  people  were  released  from  the  mountain  they  were 
visited  by  Tarenyawa^^on^  i.  e.  the  Holder  of  the  Heavens,  who 
had  power  to  change  himself  into  various  shajjes;  he  ordered  the 
people  to  i)roceed  towards  the  sunrise  as  he  guided  them  and 
come  to  a  river  and  named  Venonanatche,  i.  e.  going  round  a 
mountain,  (now  Mohawk.)  and  went  down  the  bank  of  the  river 
and  come  to  where  it  discharges  into  a  great  river  running 
towards  the  midday  sun:  and  ShaiV-n.-iy-taw-ty,  i.  e  beyond  the 
Pineries,  (now  Hudson,)  and  went  down  the  bank  of  the  river 
and  touched  bank  of  a  great  water.  Tiie  company  made  en 
campment  at  the  place  and  remained  there  a  few  days.  I'he 
people  were  yet  in  one  language:  s-inie  of  the  people  went  to  the 
banks  of  the  great  water  t').vards  the  midday  sun:  but  the  main 
company  returned  as  they  came,  on  the  bank  of  the  river,   under 


12  (Jl'SU  K  S    MX    \  A  IHiNS. 

the  (lircctiou  of  the  holder  of  the   Heavens.     Of   this   comiJany 
there  was  a  jjartieular  l)0(ly  which  called  themselves   one    houset 
hold;  of  these  were  six  families  and  they  entered  into  a  resolution 
to  preserve  the  chain  of  alliance  which  should  not  be  extinijuish. 
ed  in  any  manner.      I'he  compa  ly  a  Ivance  1    s)  ne    distance    up 
the  river  of  Shaw  na-taw  ty.  (Hudson)  the  Holder  of  the  Hdivens 
directs  the  first  family  to  make  their  reside  n<e  near  the  lank  of 
the  river,  and  the  family  was  named    re-havv-re-ho-geh.  i.   e.  a 
speech  divided,  (now  Mohawk)  and  their  languaj^e  was   soon   al- 
tered; the  comjiany  then  turned  and  went  towards  the  sunsetting. 
and  travelled  about  two  days  and  a  half,  and  come    to  a    creek,* 
which  was  named  K.aw-na-taw-te-ruh,  i.  e.  Pineries.  'Hie    second 
family  was  directed  to  make  their  residence  near  the  creek,    and 
the  family  was  named   Ne-haw-re-tah-^o.  i.      e.     Hi<;    Tree,  now 
Oneidas,  and  likewise  their  lani,'uaj;e  was  altered.      The  company 
continueii  to  proceed  towards  the  sunsetting;  under  the  direction 
of  the  Holder  of  the  Heavens.     The  third  family  was  directed  to 
make  their  residence  on  a  mountain  named  ()nondai;a.(no\v  On- 
ondaga) and  the  family  was  named  Seuh-now-kah-tah,   i.    e.    car- 
rying the  name,  and  their  language  was  altered.       'J  he    (-cnijiany 
continued  their  journey  towards  the  sunsetting.      The  fourth  tam- 
ily  was  directed  lo  make  their  residence  near  a  long  lake    named 
Go-yo-goh,  i.  e.    a  mountain  rising  from    water,    (now    Cayuga) 
and  the  family  was  named  Sho-nea-na-we-to-wah,    i.    c.     a   great 
pipe,  their  language  was   altered.     '1  he  company    continued     to 
proceed  towards  the    sunsetting.       'I'he     fifth     family     was     di- 
rected   to    make  their  residence  near  a  high  mountain,  or  ratlier 
nole,  situated  south  of  the  Canandaigua  lake,  which  was   named 
Jenneatowake    and    the  family    was      named    Te-how-nea-nyo- 
hent,  i.  e.     J'ossessing    a  Door,  now  Seneca,  and    their   lanuuaiie 
was    altered.     The    sixth    family  went  with    the   company    that 
journeyed  towards  the  sunsetting.  and  touched     the  bank    of  a 


*    The  creek  now  brandies  off   the  Susiiuehanna    River   at    the  head  Keuf-rally 
called  Col.  Allen's  lake,  teu  miles  south  of  tlie  Oneida  Castle. 


ci'sick's  six  nations.  13 

great  lake,  and  named  Kau  ha  gwa-rah  ka,  i.  e.  A  Cap,  now  Krie, 
and  then  went  towards  between  the  mid-day  and  sunsetting,  and 
travelled  considerable  distance  and  come  to  a  large  river  which 
was  named  Oiuiii  we  yo  ka,  i.  e.  a  |)rinci|)al  stream,  now  Mis 
sissi|)i)i;  the  |)eoi)Ie  discovered  a  gra|)e  vine  lying  across  the  river 
bywliicli  a  |)art  of  the  |);;()i)le  went  (n'er,*  but  while  they  were  en- 
gaged, the  vine  broke,  and  were  divided,  they  became  ene- 
mies to  those  who  went  over  the  river;  in  consecjuence  they  were 
obliged  to  dispense  the  journey.  The  Holder  of  the  Heavens 
instruct  them  in  the  art  of  bows  and  arrows  in  the  time  of  game 
and  danger.  Associates  are  dispersed,  and  each  family  went  to 
search  for  residences  according  to  their  (-onveniences  of  game. 
The  sixth  family  went  towards  the  sunrise  and  touched  the  bank 
of  the  great  water.  'I'he  family  was  directed  to  make  their  residence 
n^*ar  Cau-ta-noh,  i.  e.  I'ine  in  water,  situated  near  the  mouth  of 
the  Nuse  river,  now  in  North  Carolina,  and  the  family  was  nam- 
ed K.au-ta-noh,  now  Tuscarora  and  their  language  was  also  alter- 
ed; but  the  si.x  families  did  not  go  so  far  as  to  loose  the  under- 
standing of  each  others  language.  The  Holder  of  the  Heavens 
returns  to  the  five  families  and  forms  the  motle  of  confederacy 
which  was  nameil  (igo-nea-seab-aeh,  i.  e.  A  I.ong  House,  to 
which  are  ist — 'I'ea-kaw-reh-ho-geh;  2d — New-haw-teh  tah-gO; 
3d — Seuh-nau-ka-ta;  4th — Sho-nea-na-we-to-wan;  5th — Te-hoo- 
nea-nyo-hent.  About  this  time  it  is  su|)p()sed  an  agent  from 
sujjcrior  |)o\ver  solemnly  visits  the  families,  and  he  instructs  them 
in  various  things  respecting  the  infinity,  matrimony,  moral  rules, 
worship,  etc.;  and  he  warns  them  that  an  evil  spirit  was  in  the 
world  and  would  induce  the  peo|)le  to  commit  trespasses  against 
the  rules  he  had  given  theui;  and  he  offers  them  favorable  prom- 
ises of  obedience  to  rules,  the  souls  would  enter  the  place  of 
happiness;  but  to  the  disobedient  their  souls  would  be  sent  to 
a   state   of  misery.     And    he  gives  the  seeds   for    corn,  beans, 


*    By  Some  this  may  seem  an  iiicralible  titory.      Why  more    so    t'lan    cnat  the 
Israelites  should  cross  the  Red  Sea  on  dry  land. 


14  cusick's  six  nations. 

squashes,  potatDCS  and  tobacco,  with  (hrections  how  to  ( iiltivate 
theiu;  and  he  j^ivcs  thcin  the  doj^s  to  aid  in  pursuinjf  the  game; 
and  he  re|)eats  the  achuinistration  of  the  game;  and  that  the 
great  country  was  given  for  their  people's  maintenance.  When 
he  ended  the  interview  of  consolation  he  leaves. 

About  one  hundred  winters  since  the  people  left  the  moun- 
tain,— the  five  families  were  increased,  and  made  some  villages 
in  the  country.  'I'he  Holder  of  the  Heavens  was  absent  from 
the  country,  which  was  destitute  of  the  visits  of  the  (Governor  of 
the  Universe.  'I'he  reason  produced  the  occasion  that  they  were 
invaded  by  the  monsters  called  Ko-nea-rau  neli  neh.  i.  e..  l-'lying 
Heads,  which  devoured  several  people  of  the  country.  'I'he 
Flying  Heads  made  invasions  in  the  night;  but  the  people  were 
attentive  to  escape  by  leaving  their  huts  and  concealing  them- 
selves in  other  huts  prepared  for  that  purjiose.  An  instance: — 
there  was  an  old  wonia'i  which  resided  at  Onondaga;  she  was 
left  alone  in  the  hut  at  eseiiing  while  others  deserted.  She  was 
setting  near  the  fire  parching  some  acorns  when  tne  monstrous 
Head  made  its  ai)pearance  at  the  door ;  while  viewing  the  worn 
an  it  was  amazed  that  she  eat  the  coals  of  fire,  by  which  the 
monsters  were  put  to  tliglit.  and  ever  since  the  heads  disappeared 
and  were  supposed  concealed  in  the  earth.  .\l"ter  a  short  time 
the  people  were  inva.led  by  the  monster  of  the  deep;  the  Lake 
Serpent  traverses  the  country,  which  interrui)tt>d  their  inter- 
course. The  five  families  were  compelled  to  make  fortifications 
throughout  their  respective  towns,  in  order  to  secure  themselves 
from  the  devouring  monsters.  The  manner  of  nuiking  the  fort  : 
at  first  they  sel  fire  against  several  trees  as  recpiires  to  make  a 
fort,  and  the  stone  axe-;  are  used  to  rub  off  the  coals,  as  to  burn 
(piicker ;  when  the  tree  burrs  down  they  put  fii'es  to  it  about 
three  i)aces  apart  and  burns  it  down  in  half  a  day  :  the  logs  are  col- 
lected to  a  place  where  ihey  set  up  round  according  to  the  bigness 
of  the  fort,  and  the  earth  is  hea|)ed  on  both  sides.  A  fort  generally 
has  two  gates;  one  for  passage,  and  the  other  to  obtain  water. 
The  peo|)le  had  implements  which  they  used  to   make  bow  anil 


CrSKK  S  SIX   NAI  IONS.  I  5 

rroA's.      The  kettle  is  made  of  baked  clay  in  which  the  meat  is 

)i)iled  :  the  awl  ami  needles  are  made  of  hard  bone  ;  a  |>i|)e  for 

imoking.  is  made  of  baked  <!ay,  or  soft  stone  ;  a  small  turtle  shell 

s  used  to  |)eel  the  bark  ;  a  small  dry  stick  is  used  to  make  afire. 

)y  boring'  it  a^^ainst  the  seasoned  wood. 

Perhaps  about    1250   years   before  Columbus  discovered  the 
America,  about  two  hundred  and  f'ifty  winters  since  the  people 

eft  the   mountain,  the  five  families  became   numerous  and  ex 
tended  their  settlements,  as  the  country  had  been  exposeil  to  the 

nvasion  of  the  monsters,  that  the  people  could  not  enjoy  but  a 
short  space  of  time^without  beinj^  molested,  .\bout  U\\>  time  a 
powerful  tribe  of  the  wilderness,  called  ()t  ne-yar  heh.  i.  e.  Stonish 
(liants*  overrun  the  country  and  the  warriors  were  immediately 

ollected  from  several  towns  and  a  severe  combat  took  place,  but 
the  warriors  were  overpowered  and  the  people  fell  at  the  mer<  y 
of  the  invaders,  and  the  |)eo|)le  were  threatened  with  destruction, 
and  the  country  was  brought  to  subjection  for  many  winters.    As 

he  people  have  been  reduced  so  often  they  could  not  increase.  'I'he 
Stonish  (riants  were  so  ravenous  that  they  devoured  the  people 
of  almost  every  town  in  the  country;  but  ha|)pily  the  Holder  (-f 
the  Heavens  again  visits  the  |)eople  and  he  observes  that  the  p'eo 
jle  were  in  distressed  condition  on  the  account  of  the  enemy. 
With  a  stratagem  he  proceeds  to  banish  their  invaders,  and  he 

hanges  himself  into  a  giant,  and  combines  the  Stonish  (liantS' 
le  introduces  them  to  take  the  lead  to  destroy  the  jjcople  of  the 
country  ;  but  a  day's  march  they  did  not  reach  the  fort  Onon- 
[iaga,  where  they  intended  to  invade,  and  he  ordered  them  to  lay 


*  It  appf ai'H  by  the  iradilious  of  the  Shuwiiees  that  the  Stonish  Oiiiit^  deso -iid 
roni  a  certaiu  family  that  journeyed  oti  the  t-ust  side  of  MisMissippi  Uiver,  went 
owards  the  northwest  after  they  «  ere  separated,  ou  ace  juut  of  the  vin**  •  roke.  The 
'amily  was  left  to  seek  its  habitation,  and  the  rules  of  imtiianity  wrre  forgotten,  and 
rterwards  eat  raw  flesh  of  the  animals.  At  length  Ihey  practiced  ro.liuK  themselves 
a  the  sand,  by  means  their  bodies  weri^  covered  with  liard  sitiu  these  people  became 
iants  and  were  dreadful  invaders  of  the  country.  It  is  said  that  Sir  William  Joliu- 
00,  the  Superintendents  of  the  Six  Nations,  had  a  picture  of  the  giant.  Probably 
he  English  have  recorded  in  the  Histuriau  respecting  North  America. 


i6  ri'siiKV  SIX  x  \  iioNs. 

in  a  deep  hollow*  during  the  nighl  and  they  would  make  attack 
on  the  foll()\vin<;  niorninL;.  At  a  dawn  of  the  day,  the  Holder  of 
the  Heavens  ascen<led  upon  the  heiglils  and  he  overwhelms 
them  l)y  a  mass  of  ro<-ks.  and  only  one  escaped  to  announce 
the  dreadful  fate:  and  since  of  the  event  the  Stonish  (riants  left 
the  country  and  seeks  an  asvlum  in  the  regions  of  the  north.  The 
families  were  now  ])reserve;l  from  cvtinclion.  'I'iie  I^ake  Serpent 
discovers  the  powerful  operations  of  the  Holder  of  the  Heavens, 
instantly  retreats  into  the  deep  |)Iaces  of  the  lakes.  .After  the 
banishment  of  the  monster  of  the  deep  made  its  appearance  in 
the  country:  a  snake  with  tlie  shape  of  humaii  head  opposed  the 
passage  between  tb.e  Onondaga  and  (io-yo-gouh,  now  Cayuga, 
which  prevented  their  intercour.'-e.  as  the  snake  had  seated  near 
the  principal  path  leads  through  the  settlements  of  tb.e  lM\-e 
Families.  Tiie  people  were  trouble. 1  of  their  c  )ndilion,  and 
finally  they  determined  to  make  resistance.  The}'  se'ecied  the 
best  warriors  at  ( )n()inkiga.  and  at'ter  they  weie  organized  and 
prepared  proceeded  to  the  place  ;  after  a  severe  c'>nllict  th.e  snake 
was  killed  :  the  lake  ser|>ent  was  often  seen  by  the  people,  but  the 
tl'.under  bolt  destroyed  the  ser|)ent  or  coiupelled  ihem  to  re'.iiC 
into  the  deep,  .\boui  this  time  they  were  various  nations  inhab- 
ited the  southern  countries,  thesi-  nations  descendetl  from  the 
families  that  were  dis|)ersed  after  the  vine  bioke  on  Onauweyc- 
ka.  (Mississippi).  The  Holder  of  the  Heavens  visited  the  b'ive 
Families  and  instructed  them  in  the  arts  of  war.  and  lavors  tlieni 
to  gain  the  country  bev'ound  their  limits  after  wliicli  iu-  disap 
peared. 

l\'rhaps  i.ooo  \  ear>  before  Columbus  discovered  tiie  .Vmer 
ica. — About    this    tinie    the   l'"ive    l'"amilies   become    independent 
nations,  and  the}-  t'ormed  a  council  tire  in  each  nation,  etc.      Vv 
fortunately  a  war  broke  out  amcjng  the  l-'ive  Nations:  during  th.e 
unhai)py  differences  the  Atotarho  was  the  most  hostile  chiet",  re- 


*  Tlic  hollow  it  is  said  not  far  from  OuondnKa.    Some  says  thetJiaiils  relreatt-tl 
by  way  of  Moiiutaiii  RitlKt'  and  rrussed  below  the  Niagara  Falls 


CUSICK  S    SIX    XAIIONS.  I  7 

sided  at  the  fort  Onondaga ;  his  head  and  body  was  ornamented 
with  l)huk  snakes; — his  dishe.;  and  spoons  were  made  of  skulls  of 
the  enemy;  after  a  while  he  recjuested  the  people  to  change  his 
dress,  the  people  immediately  drove  away  the  snakes — a  mass  of 
wampam  were  collected  and  the  chief  was  soon  dressed  in  a  large 
l)eit  of  wampam  ;  he  become  a  law  giver,  and  renewed  the  chain 
of  alliance  of  the  Five  Nations  and  framed  their  internal  govern- 
ment, which  took  five  years  in  accomplishing  it.  At  Onondaga 
a  tree  of  |)eace  was  planted  reached  the  clouds  of  Heaven  ; 
under  the  shade  of  this  tree  the  Senators  are  invited  to  set  and 
delilerate,  and  smoke  the  pipe  of  peace  as  ratification  of  their 
j)roceedings;  a  great  council  fire  was  kindled  under  the  majestic 
tree,  having  four  l)ranches,  one  pointed  to  the  south,  west,  east, 
north  :  the  neighboring  nations  were  amazed  at  the  jjowerful  con 
federates;  the  Oaoiulaga  was  considered  a  heart  of  the  country; 
numerou-;  bel'ts  and  strings  of  wam])aiy  were  left  with  die  famous 
chief  as  record  of  alliance.  etc..afterhe  had  accomplished  the  noble 
work  he  was  immediately  named  Atotarho.  Iving  of  the  Five  na- 
tions; and  was  governed  by  the  Senate,  chosen  by  the  jjeopleannu- 
ailv;  the  successorof  the  kings  to  follow  the  woman's  line.  About 
this  time  the  Te  hoo  neanyo  !ienl.  or  Senecas,  was  at  war  with 
the  Squawkeiiiows.  a  ]);)werful  tribe  jjast  the  baiks  of  the  Oene- 
see  ri\cr;  atler  various  eiigageiiieiits  the  Se.u'ca-;  sent  an  army  to 
Moiirge  tlie  enem\.  but  were  repulsed  with  a  severe  loss;  the 
melanc!ii)!y  inlel!ige:ice  was  soon  coii\eyed  to  ( )nondaga  and  in- 
forme(t  the  king  of  their  defeat;  a  powerful  army  of  the  allies 
were  soon  direcre.l  against  tlu'  Stpiawkihows  ;  after  a  long  siege 
the  principal  fort  was  surrciidered  without  (li^crelion.  and  the  chief 
was  taken  prisoiU'r,  put  to  death,  the  war  tenninated.  however 
a  remnant  of  the  Sijuawkeihows  were  a'lowed  to  remain  in  the 
country  and  became  vassals  to  the  fi\e  nations  after  the  c(;n(piest. 
The  government  ordered  the  Senecas  to  settle  the  country  and 
to  build  forts  on  the  Oenesee  River,  as  to  keep  .ypiavvk- 
haws  in  subjection,  for  fearing  in  time   they  might  create  a  re- 


l8  CUSSICK's  six   NAIK)NS. 

bellion.  'J'heSene<:asno\v  possessed  a!ong  the  l)ank  of  the  Great 
Lake,  now  Ontario,  to  the  creek  called  Kenaukarent,  now  Oak 
Orchard,  the  bank  of  the  river  Onyakarra,  now  Niagara,  pos- 
sessed by  Twakanhah.  (Mississaugers.) 

In  the  days  the  king  Atotarho  II.  about  ti)is  time  the  Oyal- 
(pioher,  or  big  bear  invaded  the  territory  of  the  five  nations,  the 
hunters  were  often  attacked  by  these  monsters.  At  the  village 
of  Ohiokea,  situated  west  of  Onci.la  creek,  a  small  ])arty  went 
out  to  hunt  and  encamped  near  the  lake  Skonyatales;  one  morn- 
ing while  they  were  in  the  cam])  a  noise  broke  out  in  the  lake  ; 
a  man  was  sent  immediately  to  see  the  tumult:  he  saw  a  great 
l)ear  on  the  bank  rollinu;  down  stones  and  logs;  the  monster  ap- 
peared  to  be  in  a  great  rage:  a  lion  came  out  of  the  lake  and 
suddenly  fell  upon  the  bear,  a  severe  contest  ensued,  in  the  mean 
time  the  bear  was  beaten  and  was  conipelled  to  leave  the  bank, 
the  next  day  the  men  went#in  search  of  the  bear;  they  found  the 
bear:  one  of  the  fore  leijfs  was  so  heavv  that  two  men  could  not 
lift  but  a  luuids  high,  they  procured  some  of  the  meat  for  useful 
purposes  in  the  time  of  war.  Abo\it  this  time  a  great  musijueto 
mvculed  the  fort  Onondaga;  the  mus(|uetowas  mischievous  to  the 
people,  it  flew  about  the  fort  with  a  long  stinger,  and  sucked  the 
blood  a  number  of  lives  :  the  warriors  made  several  oppositions 
to  expel  the  monster,  but  failed  ;  the  country  was  invaded  until 
the  Holder  of  the  Heavens  was  |)!t'ased  to  visit  the  people:  while 
he  was  visiting  the  king  at  the  fort  Onondaga,  the  muscpiett)  made 
appearance  as  usual  and  tlew  about  the  fort,  the  I  loldfr  of  the 
Heavens  attac^ked  the  nujnster.  it  tlew  so  rapidly  that  he  could 
hardly  keep  in  sight  of  it.  but  after  a  few  days  chase  the  monster 
be^an  to  fail ;  he  cliased  on  the  borders  of  the  yreat  lakes  to 
wards  the  sunsetting.  and  round  the  great  countrv:  at  last  he 
overtook  the  monster  and  kill  it  near  the  salt  lake  Onondaga 
and  the  blood  became  small  nius(iuetoes. 

In    the   reign   the   king    .Atotarho    HI.     About  this   time   the 
Oneidas  had  extended  their  forts  down  the  river   K.aunsehwataii 


CUSSICk's  SIX  NATIONS.  I9 

yea.,  or  Sus(iuehaiina,  a  fort  situated  on  the  river,  there  was  a  cer- 
tain woman  deHvered  a  male  child  uncommon  size  ;  when  he  was 
twelve  years  of  age  he  was  nearly  as  large  as  grown  person,  and 
lie  would  beat  his  playmates  which  would  create  disputes,  but  the 
mother  would  correct  him.  and  afterward  she  prevailed,  he  prom- 
ised never  to  injure  his  people  :  when  grown  uj)  he  became  a 
giant  and  was  a  great  hunter;  the  parent  was  stored  with  venison 
continually:  he  was  so  strong  that  when  returned  from  hunting 
he  would  have  five  or  six  deers  and  bears  strung  around  on  his 
belt.  The  giant  was  named  Soh-nou-re-wah.  i.  e.  Hig  Neck,  (now 
S'lawiiees)  which  inhabited  the  banks  of  the  river  and  brought 
.f.e\'eial  suits  of  dress  and  the  scalps  of  whom  he  had  killed. 
'I'lie  Sa!i-wau-noo  sends  messengers  to  tort  Kau-na-sen-wa-tau-yea 
a-;  to  demonslrale  the  conduct  of  Soh-nau-ro-wah.  but  the  busi- 
ne>s  was  left  upon  the  relatives  Sau-rau-ra-wah.  who  persuaded 
him  to  reform  his  beliavior  for  the  future  ;  he  remained  only 
tU()  winters  without  making  disturbance  ;  he  went  down  the  river 
and  whenever  he  came  t(i  a  town  he  committetl  the  same  out- 
rages upon  the  inhabitants  and  plundered  the  people's  <;Iothes. 
f^kins.  etc.  Again  the  Sau-wa-noo  sends  a  de|)Uty  and  reported 
tlieir  resentment,  but  delermined  to  make  hostile  aggressions  if 
not  .satisfaction  was  made  on  their  |)art.  The  chief  Ne-nau-re- 
tah-go  sends  a  belt  of  wampum,  ami  offered  the  terms  of  peace. 
wiiich  was  accepted,  but  the  Sau-rau  roh-wah  was  not  dis-posed 
to  favor  the  treaty;  he  left  the  fort  and  went  down  and  located 
on  the  bank  of  Kau-nau-ieh -wah-lau  yea  river,  (said  Sustpiehan- 
11:1.)  and  commenced  to  build  a  fort  *  ;  he  was  frecjuently  visited 
by  his  relatives;  and  afier  the  fortit'ication  was  eomjileted  he  re- 
solved to  continue  the  war  against  his  enemies:  he  went  from 
tune  io  time  and  attacked  the  |»eople  which  inhabited  on  the 
river  as  he  had  d(jne  befoie:  he  would  lay  in  ambush  near  the 
path,  and  wheneve;"  the  people  are  passing  he  shoots  them:  he 

lilt'  fort  WHS  sllutitcd  oil  lln;  south  bank  of  the  Susquehanna  river.    In  IKOO  I 
wci.t  over  tlie  giouud  myself  and  viewed  the  mound. 


I 


20  t  LSILK  S  SIX   NATIONS. 

used  a  i)lumi)  arrow,  which  was  so  violent  that  it  would  break  the 
body  in  two  i)arts ;  as  he  became  mischievous  to  the  people  that 
the  relatives  were  obliged  to  form  a  plan  to  destroy  him,  but  Sau 
rauh-ro-wah  was  not  easily  to  be  (pielled,  it  was  supposed  that 
ten  warriors  were  not  sufticient  to  ecjual  his  strength.  At  the 
fort  Kou-na-seh-wa  ta-yea  there  went  three  warriors  of  his  na 
tives  wiiich  bring  him  favorite  diet,  a  mess  of  buckle  berries,  etc.: 
the  Sah-nou-ro-wah  was  pleased  of  the  visit  and  the  food  which 
was  given  :  but  while  he  was  eating  it  one  of  the  warriors,  with  a 
club  concealed  under  his  cloak,  instantly  ste|)ped  on  the  bench 
where  he  was  sitting,  and  gave  a  fatal  blov,-  on  the  monster's  head- 
he  was  so  distracted  that  he  ran  out  of  the  fort  and  was  intended 
to  cross  the  river,  he  sunk  in  the  mire  which  was  near  the  bank. 
tlie  warriors  prevailed  and  killed  him  on  the  s])ot :  the  warriors 
spoiled  his  house  and  obtainetl  a  large  ipiantity  of  skins,  etc.: 
and  the  fort  was  ruined  ever  since. 

Perhaps  about  800  years  before  the  Columbus  discovered  the 
America.     About  this  time  the  Twakanhahors,  (no.v  Mississau 
gers.)  ceded   the  colonies  lying  between  the   Kea  nau  hau  sent 
(Oak  Orchard.)  and  the  river  Onyakarra.  (Niagara)  to  the  l-'ive 
Nations. 

About  this  time  lived  the  king  Atotarho  II II.  There  was  a 
woman  and  son  resided  near  the  fort,  which  was  situated  near  a 
nole.  which  was  named  Jenneatowaka.  the  original  seat  of  the 
Te-hoo-nea-nyo-hent  (Senecas.)  the  boy  one  day,  while  amusing 
in  the  bush  he  caught  a  small  serpent  called  Kaistowanea,  with 
two  heads,  and  l)rings  it  to  his  apartment :  the  ser])ent  was  fust 
|)laced  in  a  small  bark  box  to  tame,  which  was  fed  with  birds, 
flesh,  etc.  After  ten  winters  the  serpent  became  considerable 
large  and  rested  on  the  beams  within  the  hut.  and  the  warrior 
was  obliged  to  hunt  deers  and  bears  to  feed  the  monster ;  but 
after  awhile  the  serpent  was  able  to  maintain  itself  on  various 
game;  it  left  the  hut  and  resided  on  the  to[;  of  a  nole;  the  ser 
pent  frequently  visited  the  lake,  and  after  thirty  years  it  was  pro- 


(Tsrc  K  s  SIX  N'A  rioNs. 


31 


(li^ioiis  size,  which  in  a  short  time  inspired  witli  an  evil  mind 
against  the  |>e()|ile.  and  in  the  night  tlie  warrior  experienced  the 
^erpent  was  Ijfooding  some  mischief,  and  was  ahout  to  destroy 
the  people  of  the  fort:  when  the  warrior  was  accpiainted  of  the 
danger  lie  was  ihsmayed  and  soon  moved  to  other  fort;  at  day 
light  the  serpent  descended  from  the  heights  witli  the  most  tre- 
niendous  noi:~e  of  the  trees,  which  were  tram])led  down  in  such  a 
force  diat  tile  trees  were  uprootetl.  and  the  serjient  immediately 
>nrrounde(l  the  gate;  the  pecjple  were  taken  improvidentially  and 
hronuht  to  confusion:  fmdinu  themselves  circled  bv  the  mon- 
-irons  seipenl.  some  of  them  endeavored  to  j-assout  at  the  gate, 
;i.id  others  attempted  to  clind)  over  the  serpent,  but  were  unable; 
•die  people  remained  in  this  situation  for  several  days;  the  war 
1  ior.-.  had  made  o|)positions  to  dispel  the  monster,  but  were  truit- 
ic-  .  and  tlie  people  were  distressed  of  their  continement.  and 
found  no  odier  method  than  to  rush  lo  ])ass  out  at  the  gate,  but 
llie  people  wen-  devoured,  except  a  young  warrior  and  sister, 
wliic'.i  detaiiu'd  and  were  ()a\v  left  exposed  to  the  monster,  and 
were  resliained  without  hopes  of  getting  released:  at  length  the 
warrioi  re(  ei\e(l  ad\i(  e  from  a  dream,  and  he  adorned  his  arms 
\\;ih  tlie  haiisof  his  -i^ler,  wliich  he  succeede*!  by  shooting  at  the 
heart,  aul  iIk-  serpent  was  mortally  wounded,  which  hastened  to 
retire  tVom  ihe  fort  and  I'etreated  to  the  'ake  in  order  to  gain  re 
liel;  the  serpent  da;hed  on  the  lace  of  the  water  furiou^l}'  in  the 
liine  of  agony ;  at  last  it  Noniited  the  substance  wliich  it  had 
cateii  ;in(l  then  ;unk  lo  llie  deep  and  expiied.  The  ))eo])le  of 
llie  fort  did  no!  !ecei\e  any  assistance  from  their  neighboring 
tills  a>  ihe  !-eipenl  was  loo  powerful  to  lie  resisted.  .\fter  the 
foi  t  was  demoiislied  the  Council  fire  was  lemoNed  to  other  fort 
ralle  1  I'hau  gwe  took,  which  was  situa'e  1  west  of  now.  (reneva 
I  ,ake,  erecle  1  bu'waiks  on  Mountain  Ri  Ige  west  of  (ienesee 
Kiver. 

.Vboiit  this  time   leigned    the    King  .Xto'aiho  1\'.      .\t  the  fort 
Ke  dau  yei  ka  wau    [\h  w  'I'onewanta  [plains  )  a  [  a.ty  went  out  to 


22 


CUSK.K  S  SIX    N.\  llONS. 


limit  and  were  altacked  by  the  Ot-tau  wahs,  wliicli  created  dilir 
ences  between  the  two  nations  as  they  entered  on  no  terms  li 
to  commence   hostiUties:  the  Todioo  nyo  hent  sends  a  hand    > 
warriors  to  attack   some   of  the  liunters  as  to   retahate  the  vc:; 
geance  upon  their  enemies.     'I'he  warriors  advanced  above  tit 
lake  named  (leattaligweah  (now  Chautaiuiue)  an;'  madi'  encam;i 
ment  and  agreed  to   hunt  two   (hivs.  after  which  to  i)roceed  t- 
wards  tlie  enemies"  country:   the  warriors  went   in  various  (hrii 
tions  :  a  certain  warrior   passed  a  small   brook,   he  discoveied  a 
strange  animal  resemblmg  a  dog.  but  could  not  (lisco\er  the  head, 
the  creature  was  a  greyish  color,  and  was  la\ing  asleep  e.\po;-ed  \< 
the  ra} s  of  the  sun;  and  also  discovered  a  den   su|)pi)sed   tl  r 
place  of  his  residiMice  ;  the  warrlorreturned  tothecamp  at  evenii'u  ^ 
and  relate, 1  the  kind  (jf  anima'.  a. id  iiifoimed  them,  as  he  im:i^^ 
ined  was  a  very  poisonous  animal,  and  he  was  at'raid  to  apjjroach 
it  again, but  one  of  the  jokers  laugheil  at  him  anil  he  was  called  a 
cowardly  fellow:   the  joker  determined  to  go  him:;e!f  ar.d  kill  tlie 
creature  without  trouble,  but  wished  some  of  the  warriors  to  be 
sjjectators  in  the  time  of  the  engagei.iienl  :  accordingly  the  war- 
rior went,  accompanied   by   a  number  of  warriors :  he  was  di- 
rected to  the  spot  anil   discovered   the  animal,      .\fler  beating  it 
short  time  with  his  club,  he  seized  the  animal  and  tied  it  with  :'. 
tuni   line:  but  while  he  was  lifting  it   the  creature   immediatel\ 
moved  to  the  dc>\.      With  all  his  might  he  held  the  tuni  line,  but 
he  could  not   stop  it,  he  was  compelled   to  let   go  the  turn   liiv 
when  the  creature  went  beyond   his  reach:  the  warrior  uas  coi 
fused  at  not  being  able  to  kill  tlie  animal:  he  hastened  to  retir.' 
from  the  spot,  but  when  a  fe»v  i)aces  he  was  taken  with  the  pe^ 
tilence  which  was  influenced  by  the  creature,  and  suddenly  died; 
another  warrior  was  at  sight  and  directly  lied  to  carry  the  inte 
ligence.  but  also  died  at  a  short  distance,  and  the  others  returne  1 
to  the  camp:  but  the  pestilence  soon   prevailed  among  the  wai 
riors.  and  many  of  them   died  in    the   same   manner;  a  few  (i 
them  escaped  by  leaving  the  camp  before  th.e  ])]ague  a[)i)eare(;, 


CUSICK  S    SIX    NAIIONS.  2^ 

aiid  thus  ended  the  exijechtion.  'i'he  Ottauwahs  cDiitinued  their 
hostiHties  and  attacked  the  hunters:  the  Senetas  sent  out  a  small 
party  and  fought — drove  the  enemy  otif,  but  their  engagements 
Were'small  and  continued  many  winters. 

In  the  days  of  king  Ototarho  VI.  perhaps  650  years  before  the 
Cohnnbus  dif'Covered  the  America,  at  the  fort   Kcadanyeekowa 
or  Tontawanta  plains,  a  small  party  went  out  to  make  incursion 
Upon  the  enemy  that  may  be  found  within  the  boundaries  of  the 
kingdom.     'I'hey  penetrated  the  Ohio  river  and  encamped  on 
the   bank  ;    as    they   were    out  of  provision,  the  warriors   were 
anxious  to  kill  a  game;  a   certain   warrior  discovered  a  hollow 
tree.  sup|)osing  a  l)ear  in  the  tree,  he  immediately  reported  ;  the 
warriors  were  in  hopes  to  obtain  the  bear — went  to  the  tree  :  one 
of  them  climbed  and  jyut   a  fire  in  it  in  order  to  drive  out  the 
creature;  the  warriors  made  ready  t(i  shoot,  but  were  mistaken, 
there  instantly  came  out  a  furious    Lizard,  and  (piickly  grasjjed 
and  leaped  into  the  hollow  of  the  tree  an  1   the  young  ones  de- 
voured it:  a  grumbling  noi^e  ensued,  the  warriors  were  terrified 
at  the  monstrous  creature  a!id  were  soon  compelled  to  retire,  ex- 
cept one  staid  at  the  tree  while  others  Hed :  he  remained  until 
the  party  was  destroyed  and  the  last  warrior  was  chased  ;  the  war- 
rior  immediately  left  the  free  and  ran  on   the  way  fortunately 
met  the  Holder  of  the   Heavens  who  advised  him  to  stop  and 
offers  the  aid  of  material  resistance  which  was  accei)ted  :  the  war 
rior  was  instru(  ted  to  make  fire  without  delay  and  to  get  srmie 
Sticks  to  use  with  which  to  prevent  tl.e  Lizard's  tlesh  from  uniting 
the  body  or  I;eing  efficatious.  ll.e  protector  changed  into  a  lion 
and  laid  in  wait,  in  a  meanwhi'e  the  monster  came  up.  a  severe 
engagement   look   place,  the  warrior  hastened  with  a  stick  and 
began  to  hook  the  Lizard's  tiesh.  when  bit  off  by  his  defendant 
and  throws  it  into  the  fire,  by  nieans  the  monster  was  (juelled. 
1  he  warrior  thanked   for  the   ])ersonal   ])reservation.     'I'he  i)ro- 
lector  vanished  out  of  his  sight.     'I  he  warrior  returned  to  the 
fort  and  related  the  occurrence,     'i'lie  war  raged  :  the  Senecas 


I 


34  CUSICK  S  SIX   NATION'S. 

had  sent  out  parties  against  the  Ottauwahs  and  obtained  various 
successes;  at  hist  the  Ottauwahs  sued  for  peace.  After  a  few 
winters  the  Senecas  gained  their  mutual  intercourse  with  the  Ot- 
tauwahs and  other  neighboring  nations.  About  this  time  reigned 
the  king  Ototariio  \'II,  wlio  authorized  by  the  Senate  to  send  an 
expediti«)n  to  expkjre  the  ctjuntries  towards  the  setting  sun,  he 
sends  a  messenger  to  accpuiint  the  Ottauwahs  of  his  intention, 
and  wished  tliem  to  form  sucii  arrangements  and  to  favor  their 
jwssage,  which  was  comphed  agreeable  to  his  re(|uest.  The  king 
ap[)ointed  two  cajjtains  to  command  the  expedition,  about  fifteen 
men  were  selected  from  the  five  nations:  after  thty  were  e<piiped 
and  ])repared.  commenced  tlie  journey  and  arrived  at  Sandufk); 
the  King  of  Ottauwalis  sent  two  warriors  to  at  company  the  ex- 
peiHti(in  ;  on  their  way  iield  several  conferences  with  the  nations 
and  ail  seemed  to  favor  their  passage.  They  advanced  the 
Mississippi  river,  a  duke  of  'I"wa  kan  ah  had  collected  the  peo- 
ple from  several  towns,  came  out  to  meet  them  the  people 
around  them,  singing,  beating  their  little  drums;  after  danced 
the  ceremony  was  performed  the  band  of  warriors  was  in- 
vited into  the  national  house.  'I'he  ba  id  crossed  the  Mis  - 
sissii)i)i  and  continued  their  course  towards  the  sunsetting; 
they  reached  an  extensive  meadow  :  they  discovered  a 
curious  animal — a  winged  fish,  it  flew  about  the  tree:  this  little 
active  creature  moved  like  a  lnnnniin<f  bird.  'I'hev  continued 
the  journey  and  come  at  the  village  of  the  Dog  'I'ail  Nation,  the 
band  was  acc.ommo('.ated,  amused  with  dan«.es,  and  was  con- 
ducted to  the  chiefs  house.  They  were  astonished  that  the  pec;- 
ple  had  short  tails  like  a]  cs  :  a  hole  was  male  through  their  seats 
where  they  put  tlicir  tails.  The  band  continued  their  dire(-tion 
and  come  to  another  nation  and  too  was  kindly  received,  and 
their  object  was  favorably  accepted  by  the  head  men  of  the  na- 
tion. J)uring  their  stay,  a  <;ertain  warrior  of  the  band  courted  a 
young  woman,  but  the  warrior  died  soon  after  the  marriage. 
They  observed  that  tiie  jjeople  did   not  eat  any  meat  but  drink 


CUSICK  S  ^IX   NATIONS.  25 

the  soup.  Tilt'  hand  c.ontinuecl  the  journey,  but  before  reatliing 
the  Rocky  Mountains  were  arrested  by  a  giant;  the  band  was 
(onipelled  to  return;  alter  a  long  journey  came  back  to  the  seat 
and  informed  the  king  all  the  particulars  about  the  journey. 
After  a  time  the  five  nations  was  desirous  to  |)reserve  the  peace 
and  friendship  with  the  western  nations;  aiiibasi-ador  was  sent  to 
the  Lentahkeh  nation,  wiio  inhabited  the  counliy  east  of  Ohio 
River  (n(.w  in  Kentucky)  ;  another  ambas^^ador  was  sent  who 
went  and  lived  among  the  Ottauwahs  for  Jeveial  years;  he  mar- 
ried a  woman  and  ai'teiward  obtained  two  children  ;  he  was  in- 
vited to  join  a  company  going  out  a  winters  hunt.  They  jouin 
eyed  some  distance,  and  reached  their  hunting  grounds ;  but  llie 
men  were  so  unlucky  that  they  could  kill  but  a  few  game:  after 
a  few  days  liie  people  were  destitute  of  i)rovisions;  tiie  leader  of 
the  conijany  commanded  the  overseer  to  select  two  fat  ])ersons 
and  to  kill  them  without  delay,  which  was  .'oon  executeil  ;  the 
llc^h  of  ihe^e  \ii:tims  was  distiibuled  anu)ng  the  people.  The 
leader  had  commanded  the  ]  eople  that  if  any  t)ne  liad  killed  a 
game  the  meal  s-hould  be  left  with  the  cveiseer  for  distiiljuticn. 
and  thai  who  disobeyed,  the  oftender  should  be  punii-hed  in  a 
severest  manner.  '1  he  and)ashy  killed  a  bear,  ll.e  tneal  was  di; - 
posed  to  the  rules.  The  leader  daily  butchered  two  i;ersons  to 
feed  the  people,  which  only  increased  their  distress.  The  peo- 
ple were  so  feeble  that  they  were  unable  to  hunt  any  more,  and 
many  of  them  began  to  famish,  'i'he  ambassy  again  killed 
another  game  and  bring  it  secretly  to  his  camp,  but  it  was  soon 
detected  and  rumored  among  the  people;  at  this  oftense  the  am 
bassy  was  ordered  to  a|)pear  before  their  tribunal ;  some  men 
were  angiy  at  him  and  sought  to  destroy  him.  but  the  leader 
deemed  it  unjust,  it  would  violate  llie  treaty  they  had  entered 
with  th.e  five  nations;  but  ht.wever.  to  satisfy  the  peojjle.  tie 
leader  consented  to  use  other  method  to  destroy  him  ;  he  con> 
manded  to  strip  him  and  to  ;eize  his  clothes  and  the  instruments; 
after  which  to  extinguish  their  fi:es.  and    then   to  remove  their 


36  Cirsil  KS  SIX    NAIIONS. 

tanip  ;i  li.ilf  days  jounu'y  distance ;  iIk'  offender  would  <:ertainly 
tVee/.e  williout  remedy:  hii'  the  amhassy  was  ingenious,  rmding 
that  lie  would  \h-  surprised,  instantly  takes  a  suit  of  dress  and 
bow  and  arrows,  and  hides  iheni  under  the  henilct  k  Itouj^hs 
whi<  i)  were  s|)read  in  the  camp.  In  a  meanwhile  the  opponents 
entered  the  <  amp,  the  amhassy  was  strippe  I  without  discriminate, 
as  they  had  determined  to  destroy  him.  The  wife  was  compelled 
to  U-avc  hiu)    or  e'se  she  would  share  the  sanu'  fate. 

'I'hc  com])any  retired;  he  dri'-scd  himself  inunediatelv  an  I 
])roceeded  and  was  i;i  hopes  to  reach  a  fort  situated  near  the  Lake 
I-aic;  hut  was  so  fatigue  I  that  he  could  not  tra\ t'l  vi-ry  fast : 
ahmit  sunset  he  happened  to  appioac  h  on  an  agi-  of  a  ('ark  for 
est  :  he  scle<  lc(l  a  spot  whcrt-  he  e)icam|H'd.  hut  as  he  had  no 
kind  of  food  to  eat  and  was  (pnte  dejecti-d  ;ifter  makin^  exer 
tions  to  make  himself  comforlahle.  hiU  failed,  the  weather  heing 
unlavorahle  as  it  was  cold  and  cloudy,  howe\er,  he  was  seldom 
taken  hy  surprise;  having  a  good  understanding  ahout  astrononi 
ical  calculations,  ascertained  that  the  storm  was  at  hand;  after 
kindled  a  hre  laid  himself  down  to  linger  out  a  miseiahle  exis- 
tence which  he  was  loomed  to  sutler.  I'-arly  in  the  morning  hi* 
heard  some  noise  as  something  was  coming,  wiiicli  at  once  at 
trailed  his  attention;  he  was  afraid:  as  presume!  that  some 
of  his  enem\'  had  o\-ertook  him  ;  tortunately  a  young  man  came 
u|i  and  sat  down;  the  \isitor  showed  a  friendly  disposition,  after 
a  short  <-onvi'rsation  the  amhassy  re'ated  his  distressed  condi 
lion  ;  the  visitor  offered  to  relieve  him  as  soon  as  possible,  which 
was  received  with  sanguine  expectations;  the  amhassy  was  ad- 
vised that  a  snow  would  fall  so  deej)  that  he  would  he  in  want  of 
a  pair  of  snow  shoes,  the  visitor  otifered  tiie  |)attern,  and  showed 
him  how  to  make  the  shoes.  The  amhassy  was  directed  where 
to  find  the  game;  and  did  as  he  was  hidden.  On  the  night  the 
young  man  made  another  visit  and  advised  the  amhassy  where 
to  catch  hears:  after  the  conversation  the  visitor  disappeared. 
He  succeeded  and  caught   seven    hears;  after   he  had  prepared 


(  t'Mt  K  S    >l\     \ A  I  IONS. 


21 


ioiiK"  nuMt  and  llif   hiMis'  oil.  iinmodiiitcly  wt-nl   lo  (ho  t'lic.iinp 
tiicnt  ill  siMirh  of  Iiis  wife  and  children,  found  them  almost   |)t'r 
islicd:  at  lirst  j;a\c  them  each  a  N|M)onfiil  of  oil  and  were  soon  ri?- 
lit\e  1  ;  he  directed  them  to  his  cam|).    The  ambassy  was  relieved 
fi'Mii   distress  whilst  h's  eiu'in\  was  lini;ering   in  despair;  he  cx- 
jiiiniu'd  the  (  aiii|i  and  was  astonished  to  lind  tliat  the  people  were 
Uttrih   I'ainished  :   the  people  became  so  weak  and  taint  that  they 
^^(■ll•  not  alilc  to  maki'   life;   tho^e  who  held  out    had  eat  the  hu- 
ni:in  tIc.Mi  as  lon^  as  they  <:oiild   they   themselves,  and  were  lyinj,' 
amoiiLi  ihr  (lea  1    the  (  oinpany  was  now  exposed  to  destruction. 
a-  die  people  had  i)Ut   themselves  to  disgrace  ;  tiie  amhass)'  had 
rern>ed  to  invite  an\'  of  them  except  his  wife's  relatives;  the  dis 
a'.icrs  wen-  so  worn  out  did  not  reach  the  camp  nntii  next  morn 
in  J,.      After  a  tew  days  by  his  exertions,  tlu-  men's  strength   was 
fe\i\e  '.  an  1  were  capable  to  hunt,      .\fter  they  had  come  back 
to  the  town  lln-   and)assy  was  so  shamrlully   abused   bv   the  peo 
pli'    he  was  compt'lle  I  to  leave  his  wife  and  the  country.      .About 
thi>  time  die  ()ltau.vahs  became  numerous  and   |)owerful  nation, 
0<  cupie  1  an  i'\ti'n:-i\e  country  Isinsj;  between    the  Lake  I'.ric'  and 
the  Oh")  river,  an  1  was  sujipoied  their    national  t'orce  amounted 
to  al)  )Ut  .\  ooo  me.i. 

In  the  reign  of  King  .Atotarjio  \' I  I!    perlia])s  400  years  before 
the  ("ohimbus  discovered  .America.      .About   this  time  the  'I'wa 
kanliah    or   Messissaugers   began   to  wage  a  war  against  the  five 
na',io!is:   the  S_' lecas  0:1   the   iVonlier  were   most  engaged   in  the 
wa'i'aic.      .Xt'tei'  \a!ious  skirmishes  the  enemy  Aas  so  excite  1  tint 
th.'\'  dele:-;ni!ie  1  to  deitroy  tlv  t'ort  Kauhanauka  (now  in  'i'usca 
rf):a  near  I  ,e.vislo.i. )  bui  die  commander  of  the  tort  was  aware  of 
the  ('anger   he  se.it   messengers   to   the   torts   in  the  \icinitv.  and 
ab  )iit  e.ght  hundred  wa.riors  were  co!lecte;l  at  iort  Kauhanauka. 
TiV.'  c  )  ii  nil  Ijr  li.i  1  se  it  ruii'i-.  lo  observe  the    m  )vemeiits  of 
th^'  enemy.     The  army  marclie  1  towart's  ihe  river,  an  1  hid  them 
sc'vv.'s  am  );ig  the  bushes  under  the  mountain  :   the  i-nemv  came 
ttp  :  a  b'o  >  ly  battle  eisuel;  t!ie  one  iiVA-a;  repulse!  aid  flies 


28  cusick's  six  nations. 

from  the  foe.     The  army  returned  lo  the  fort  ;  soon  after  ihc 

commaiuler  disputehed  two  nmners  to  the  forts  on  tlic  (ienesec 

river  to  procure  assistance  as  soon  as  possible  ;  tlie  army  receiveil 

reinforcements:  they  made  hark  canoes  and  carrietl  them  l»)  thr 

mouth   of  the    Niagara   river;  the  canoes  were   ready,  the  c>iii 

mander  sent  a  ciiieftain  and  olfereil  the  enemy   an    inlermisi  ion 

or  |)arley,  but  the  projuisal  was  not  accepted;  the  army  i;nme  li 

ately  cro.'-sed  the  river  and  made  vigorous  attack:  the  enemy  w.i-. 

routed  and  lied  from  tlie  bank   without    making   le  isiance,  ic 

treated  towards  the  head  of  the  hike;  after  burning  the  huts,  the 

army  returned  to  the  fort  ;  but  the  lommolions  were  not  i[uelle'.I. 

small  I  arties  of  the  Senecas  often   lake   ihe  can(  es  and  g  j  by 

water  towards  the  lu'ad  of  Ontario  lake,  in  ^caich  of  the  eneu'v. 

but  they  avoid  from  attack  of  ;vi|eiior  hue;  icve;al  ergagi 

ments  were  made  on  tl.e  lake  with  Muall   |  allies  of  the  enemy  ; 

after  a  while  the  commaiuler  of  tl.e  fort  Kauhanauka.  wa>a:c!ei:i 

to  attack  the  main  body  of  the  ei'.cmy  :  h.e  ^crids  iiinr.en  biy<  id 

the  (lene^ee  liver,  and  (  btained  two  th(,u;  and  wanic  rs ;  ll  e  a  n  y 

again  irosscd  the  Niagara  liver  and  pit  teeiled  towa:ds  the  l;e;iil 

of  the  lake,  but  before  reached  the  beacli   iv.et  a  stror.g  foice  d 

the  enemy;  after  a   desperate  contest    tl.e  a:niy   relrea'ed  ;   tie 

commander  soon   ]  eiceived  that    it  w;is   imjic  ssible    !<»   gain  ti  i 

conqest.  sued  for  peace  and  ofteretl  lo  re:  tore  the  piiso.ie.s  wh;<  i 

he  look  tVom  them  which  was  concluded.     About  this  lime  tin.- 

Stonish   (riants  were  diminished,  but  very  few  t"ound  in  the  non.i 

regions  ;  the  (iiants  understood  the  la  iguage  of  the  tivj  natio.i  . 

but  they  were  a  nK)st  i-avage  tribe,  and  oite;i   attacked  ib.e  liu:: 

ters.  but  that  set   <jf  hordes  were  extripaled.     At   the  ()  uju'-'aga 

two  men  went  out  to  hunt  beaver,  and  crossed  tlie  liver  S'..  Law 

rence.  and  went   far  in   tl.e  noith.  and  dis-covered  a  number  n 

beaver  dams,  and   killed   inanv    beavers.     One  dav  a  n.an  we;-t 

alone   in   search   of  the  beaver,  but   unfoiUmately   lewaslakep 

prisoner  by  the  Stonish  (liant :  tb.e  irian  was  comi-elleci  to  lun  a 

race  with   the  giant,  a  consideiable  ('i^la^A:e;  after  mic'dav   'it 


CUSICK's    six    nations.  .'«; 

nan  gained  and  almost  went  out  of  sight,  but  tlu' giant  whooiit-d. 
b)  which  the  man  was  so  affected  tliat  he  fainted  and  fell  down. 
The  giant  took  advantage  of  him  and  soon  passed  him;  the  man 
Wa>>  disma\ed  and  turned  his  course,  and  sought  to  escape  and 
endeavored  to  hide  himself:  he  climbed  a  small  tree  and  bent  it 
to  another  tree,  and  leaped  from  tree  to  tree,  until  he  reached  a 
large  bassw<«)d  stump  which  had  sprouted  several  branches,  and 
gcatcd  himself  in  tiie  midst  of  it  and  watched  the  pursuer:  in  a 
feu  moments  the  giant  came  up  and  exanuned  the  stump  for 
some  time:  at  length  the  giant  exhibited  a  curious  instrument, 
which  he  called  a  pointer,  and  jiossessed  a  |)ower  of  the  nature; 
it  <lirected  him  where  [u  find  game;  the  giant  could  n(Jt  live 
without  it.  The  n)an  observed  the  motion  of  the  hand,  and  as  it 
was  about  to  point  to  him.  he  jumj)ed  from  the  stump  and  seized 
it  li>  the  tnigers.  and  instantly  possessed  the  valuable  instrument; 
the  giant  was  defeated  and  immediately  entreated  for  the  i)ointer, 
aiid  olleicd  to  mention  the  medical  roots  as  a  mark  of  friend- 
ship, which  was  accepted;  the  pointer  was  restoreil  to  the  owner, 
after  which  the  giant  retired:  the  man  came  home  and  began  to 
doctor,  and  cured  many  diseases;  he  was  skilled  in  the  business 
aiid  drew  hair  and  worms  from  the  persons  whom  the  witches 
had  blown  into  their  bcHlies.  it  was  supjiosed  that  the  .Skaim- 
ratohatihawk.  or  Nantcokes  in  the  south  first  founded  the  witch- 
cralt.  (Ireat  pains  were  t;iken  to  |)r(Mure  the  snakes  and  roots 
which  the  stuff  was  made  of  to  jjoison  the  people..  'I"he  witches 
formed  into  a  secret  society  ;  they  met  in  the  night  and  consult 
on  various  subject  respecting  their  eng;igements  ;  when  a  person 
becomes  a  member  (*f  their  society,  he  is  forbidden  to  reveal  anv 
of  their  proceedings.  The  wit(  lies  in  the  night  could  turn  into 
foxes  and  wolves,  and  run  very  swift,  attending  with  Hashes  of 
hght.  The  witches  sometimes  turned  into  a  turkey  or  l)ig  owl, 
and  I  an  tly  very  fast,  and  go  from  town  to  town,  and  blow  hairs 
ami  worms  into  a  person  :  if  tiie  witches  are  discovered  by  some 
person  they  turn  into  a  stone  or  rotten  log  ;  in  this  situation  thev 


i 


to  CUSICK  S  SIX  NATIONS. 

are  entirely  concealed;  about  fifty  persons  were  indicted  for 
being  witches,  and  were  burnt  to  death  near  the  fort  Onondaga, 
by  order  of  the  national  committee.  About  this  time  a  strange 
thing  happened  near  the  village  of  Kaunehsuntahkeh,  situated 
east  of  Oneida  creek :  a  man  and  his  wife  and  another  person 
returned  from  hunting,  but  before  they  reached  the  village  the 
night  was  getting  late;  they  went  into  a  house  to  stay  over  the 
night;  the  house  where  the  dead  bodies  were  dei)Osited;  they 
kindled  a  fire  and  went  to  sleep,  but  when  the  fire  was  out,  the 
room  became  dark,  the  man  heard  something  was  gnawing :  the 
man  kindled  the  fire,  he  discovered  the  |)erson  was  dead  eaten  by 
a  ghost ;  he  was  so  frightened  that  he  trembled  ;  he  immediately 
told  his  wife  to  ([uit  the  room  as  soon  as  possible;  he  remained 
a  few  moments  and  also  left  tlie  house  and  followed  his  wife  and 
overtook  her,  but  she  became  faint  and  could  not  run  fast ;  they 
saw  a  light  coming  and  supjKjsed  the  ghost  was  chasing ;  fortu- 
nately they  gained  the  village.  The  next  day  the  people  went 
and  burnt  the  dead  bodies.  This  important  event  was  soon  made 
known  among  the  five  nations,  and  afterward  changed  their  mode 
of  burying,  by  setting  posture  face  to  the  east ;  but  again  they 
were  troubled  with  the  dead  bodies,  and  were  comi)elled  to  make 
some  alterations  in  burying. 

In  each  Nation  contain  set  of  generations  or  tribes,  viz:  Ot- 
ter^ Bear,  Wolf.  Beaver,  Turtle.  Each  tribe  has  two  chiefs  to 
settle  the  disputes,  etc.  If  a  man  commits  murder,  the  nearest 
relation  of  the  slain  despatches  the  murderer  with  a  war-club  : 
the  slain  and  the  murderer  are  put  into  one  grave.  Sometimes 
their  relation  of  the  offender  present  a  belt  of  white  wampum, 
to  make  the  atonement.  The  adulterous  women  are  punished 
by  shaving  their  heads,  and  banished  from  the  town.  The  thieves 
are  punished  by  whipping  severely.  To  recover  debts,  they  gen- 
erally apply  to  the  chiefs;  the  payments  are  made  up  by  the  rel- 
atives of  the  debtor.  They  have  a  certain  time  of  worship  ;  the 
false  faces  first  commence  the  dances ;  they  visit  the  houses  to 


CUSICK  S    SIX    NATIONS.  3  I 

drive  away  sickness,  etc.  Each  town  or  district  are  allowed  to 
sacrifice  a  couple  of  white  dogs;  the  dogs  are  painted  and  orna- 
mented with  strings  of  wampum  ;  they  throw  the  dogs  into  the  fire^ 
and  some  .tobacco,  and  addresses  the  Maker.  They  pretend  to 
furnish  him  a  coat  of  skin,  and  a  pipe  full  of  tobacco  :  after  which- 
have  dances  for  several  days.  The  private  feats  are  guided  by 
the  dreams.  The  sixth  family,  Esaurora.  or  Tuscaroras,  was  vis- 
ited by  a  person,  and  went  to  see  their  amusements,  but  he  was 
abused  by  some  of  the  ball-players.  He  punished  the  offender 
by  throwing  him  into  a  tree ;  he  suddenly  disappeared,  but  the 
person  came  again  and  released  the  fellow  from  the  tree.  The 
visitor  appeared  very  old  man ;  he  appeared  among  the  |)eo 
pie  for  a  while ;  he  taught  them  many  things;  how  to  res])ect 
their  deceased  friends,  and  to  love  their  relations,  etc.,  he  in- 
formed the  people  that  the  whites  beyond  the  great  water  had 
killed  their  Maker,  but  he  rose  again:  and  he  warns  them  that  the 
whites  would  in  some  future  day  take  ])ossession  of  the  Big 
Island,  and  it  was  im])ossible  to  ])reventit;  the  red  children 
would  melt  away  like  snow  before  the  heat.  The  aged  became 
sick,  and  he  told  them  to  get  different  kinds  of  roots,  to  cure  the 
diseases ;  and  also  showed  them  the  manner  of  mourning,  etc. 
The  aged  man  died  among  them,  and  they  buried  him  ;  but  soon 
after  some  person  went  to  the  grave  and  found  he  had  risen,  and 
never  heard  of  him  since. 

In  the  reign  the  King  Atotarho  IX,  perhaj)s  350  years  before 
the  Columbus  discovered  the  America.  About  this  time  the 
Kanneastokaroneah  or  Erians  spnmg  from  the  Senecas,  and 
became  numerous  and  powerful  nation.  occui)ying  the  country 
lying  between  the  (ienesee  and  Niagara  Rivers.  It  was  sup. 
posed  that  the  national  sovereignty  was  confirmed  by  the  Senate 
of  the  Five  Nations.  A  Queen,  named  Yagowanea,  resided  at 
the  fort  Kauhanauka,  (said  Tuscarora.)  She  had  an  infiuence 
among  the  |)eople,  and  extended  her  authority  over  twelve  forts 
of  the  country.     A  treaty  of  peace  was  concluded  between  her 


32  cl'sick"s  six  nations. 

and  the  Twakanhah,  (Messissaugers.)  After  a  time  dissentions 
broke  out  between  the  Five  Nations  and  the  Messissaugers,  and 
soon  commenced  liostiHties ;  but  the  war  was  regulated  under  her 
control.  The  Queen  lived  outside  the  fort  in  a  long  house, 
which  was  called  a  Peace  House.  She  entertained  the  two  par- 
ties who  were  at  war  with  each  other;  indeed  she  was  called  the 
mother  of  the  Nations.  Each  nation  sent  her  a  belt  of  wampum 
as  a  mark  of  respect,  but  where  the  Five  Nations  were  engaged 
in  the  warfare  she  admitted  two  Cananrlaigua  warriors  into  her 
house;  and  just  as  they  began  to  smoke  the  i)ipe  of  peace  a 
small  party  of  the  .Messissaugers  too  came  into  the  house.  She 
betraye  I  her  visitors — she  advise  1  the  Messissaugers  to  kill  the 
warriors,  whicli  was  soon  e.vecuted;  the  Messissaugers  soon  re- 
tired. The  Queen  was  informed  that  the  two  warriors  of 
Canandaigua  had  been  over  the  river  and  killed  a  young  prince 
of  the  Messissaugers:  this  o.Tense  was  too  great  to  jjass  without 
condemning  the  murderers:  the  reason  she  gave  them  up.  She 
immediately  went  and  consulted  the  chieftain  of  the  band, 
stationed  at  Kanhaitauneekay,  east  of  Onondaga  village.  Hutfalo 
reservation,  and  from  thenc;'  repaired  to  fort  lvau(fuatkay.  situated 
on  the  lake  V.rie.  the  residence  of  the  Kaunacjuavouhar,  a  chief 
commander  of  the  Erian  forces.  She  dispatched  two  runners  to 
assemble  the  people  at  Kau(|uatkav :  the  Queen  too  sends  an 
ambassy  to  form  an  alliance  with  the  Naywaunaukauraunah.  a 
savage  tribe,  encamped  on  the  lake  Erie,  to  unite  against  the 
Five  Nations.  During  the  absence  of  the  Queen  frcmi  the  fort 
Kauhanauka.  a  woman  went  privately  and  took  a  canoe  and 
j)roceeded  on  the  lake  Ontario,  towards  Canandaigua.  as  fast  as 
possible;  she  left  the  canoe  at  some  place  and  went  through  the 
woods,  and  came  late  in  the  evening  at  Canandaigua,  a  fortified 
town,  and  immediately  informed  the  CJovernor,  Shorihowane, 
that  the  P>ians  were  niakmg  preparations  to  destroy  the  |)eople 
living  on  the  east  side  of  Oenesee  river.  The  woman  gave  di- 
rection how  to  send  the  spies ;  the  governor  rose  in  the  morn- 


CUSICK  is  SIX  NATIONS.  33 

ing  and  sent  out  two  fast  runners  to  the  fort  Kauhanauka,  to  as- 
certain the  matter;  the  two  spies  came  to  an  old  cornfield  south 
of  the  fort,  where  they  met  some  boys  hunting  squirrels;  the 
spies  made  in(iuiries  and  received  all  necessary  information  re 
specting  the  Erian's  Council  at  Kauquatkay,  and  went  home  as 
fast  as  possible.  The  (Governor  Sorihowane.  obtained  the  news. 
The  business  was  so  in  haste  that  it  was  impossible  to  procure 
any  aid  from  the  allies.  He  collected  the  warriors  from  the 
neighl)oring  foits.  amounting  to  fifteen  hundred  besides  the 
women  and  the  old  men.  The  governor  separated  the  people 
into  three  divisions;  first  the  men.  between  thirty  and  fifty  years 
of  age;  second  division,  the  men  were  from  twenty  to  thirty 
years  of  age ;  third  division,  were  women  and  old  men.  The 
Governor  iiad  commanded  the  leaders  to  be  in  good  courage  and 
use  all  the  means  in  their  power  to  defeat  the  enemy.  After  pa- 
rading the  divisions  they  marched  towards  the  Genesee  River  ; 
the  army  halted  at  the  fort  Kawnesats,  situated  on  a  small  lake 
east  of  Genesee.  The  governor  had  sent  runners  to  observe  the 
motions  of  the  enemy.  The  women  and  old  men  were  to  re- 
main at  fort  to  cook  and  ])rovide  provisions  for  the  i)eople.  The 
runners  came  in  and  announced  that  the  Erians  had  crossed  the 
(}enesee  river ;  the  divisions  immediately  proceeded  and  laid  an 
ambush  on  l)oth  side  the  path ;  the  first  division  was  in  front  to 
commence  the  action  at  the  advance  of  the  enemy.  With  a 
stratagem  a  certain  warrior  was  dressed  with  a  bear  skin,  and  was 
seated  on  the  i)ath  a  little  distance  froni  the  front  of  the  division, 
meanwhile  the  enemy  came  up  and  saw  the  bear  sitting  at  ease ; 
the  enemy  chase  it.  which  brought  them  in  tlie  midst  of  the 
division;  at  once  burst  a  most  hideous  yell,  followed  with  a  rat- 
tling of  war  clubs.  After  a  severe  contest  the  first  division  was 
compelled  to  retreat,  but  the  assistance  of  the  second  company 
came  up.  and  the  battle  was  renewed.  At  last  the  Erians  fled 
from  the  field,  leaving  six  hundred  warriors  slain.  The  enemy  hur- 
rie  1  to  cross  the  Genesee  river;  the  Governor  declined  to  chase 


34  clsick's  six  NAIION'S. 

the  enemy,  but  returned  to  Canandai^ua.  About  this  time  the 
King  of  the  Five  Nations  had  ordered  the  great  war  chief  Shori 
bowane,  (a  Mohawk.)  to  march  (Hrectly  with  an  army  of  five 
■  thousantl  warriors  to  aid  the  Governor  of  Canandaigua  against 
the  Erians.  to  attack  the  fort  Kauquatkay,  endeavor  to  extinguish 
the  council  fire  of  the  enemy,  which  was  becoming  dangerous  to 
the  neighboring  nations  ;  l)ut  unfortunately  (hiring  the  siege  a 
shower  of  arrows  was  flying  from  tlie  fort,  the  great  war  Chief 
Shorihowane  was  kille;l  and  his  body  conveyed  back  to  Genesee 
and  was  buried  in  a  solemn  manner:  but  however,  the  siege  con- 
tinued for  several  days.  The  Queen  sued  for  ])eace — the  army 
immediately  ceased  from  hostilities,  and  left  the  Erians  entire 
possession  of  the  country.  The  Skunantoh  or  Deer  was  the 
most  useful  game  of  the  Five  Nations  ;  the  animal  can  run  con- 
siderable distance  in  a  day.  The  people  have  a  small  dog  in  aid 
to  overtake,  but  very  seldom  stop  when  pursued  by  the  dogs. 

These  creatures  generally  go  in  the  river  or  lake ;  in  this  situ- 
ation the  dogs  are  compelled  to  leave  the  deer.  The  wolves  are 
also  ])revente(l  from  catching  these  animals;  the  hunters  have 
never  seen  a  deer  lying  dead,  except  in  some  instances ;  if  a 
person  find  one  it  was  considered  a  bad  sign :  that  person  some 
of  his  relatives  will  die  in  the  course  of  a  few  moons.  When  the 
deer  get  old  they  throw  themselves  into  the  river  and  die.  An- 
other way  has  been  discovered :  if  a  deer  runs  oft'  and  barks  at 
the  hunter,  it  was  a  bad  sign  ;  his  wife  had  committed  adultery, 
in  consequence  he  cannot  kill  any  deer.  When  a  person  intends 
to  hunt  deer  he  procures  a  me;(Ucine,  and  vomits  once  daily  for 
twelve  days,  after  which  he  procures  some  pine  or  cedar  boughs 
and  boils  them  in  a  clay  kettle,  and  after  removed  from  the  fire, 
he  takes  a  blanket  and  covers  himself  over  with  it  to  sweat;  the 
person  that  uses  the  medicine  does  not  allow  a  woman  with  child 
or  uncleanness  to  eat  any  of  the  venison.  The  people  some- 
times go  out  to  hunt  as  the  corn  begnis  to  grow  on  the  ears  ; 
they  make  a  long  brush  fence  and  remove   the  leaves  on  both 


cusick's  six  nations.  35 

sides  of  the  fence,  the  deer  will  follow  the  path ;  the  person  can 
easily  kill  the  game.  In  the  hot  days  of  the  summer,  they  go 
and  watch  in  the  night  at  the  salt  licks.  Another  mode  of  kill- 
ing the  deer;  they  take  slivers  of  basswood  bark  and  proceed  to 
the  place  and  obtain  a  canoe  and  go  into  the  river  or  lake  in  the 
night,  provided  with  a  light  of  slivers.  The  deer,  elk  and  buf- 
falo, were  found  in  the  territory  of  the  Five  Nations.  The  moose 
inhabit  the  spruce  country  and  the  heads  of  the  Mohawk  river; 
this  country  was  never  inhabited  by  any  kind  of  people  in  the 
winter  season;  the  snow  fell  so  deep  it  was  supposed  that  coun 
try  would  always  remain  a  wilderness. 

About  this  time  the  Oneidas  killed  a  very  poisonous  blue  ot- 
ter;  the  meat  was  very  carefully  i)reserved:  some  are  used  to 
hunt,  and  others  to  poison  the  arrows  when  go  out  to  war  :  some 
of  the  witches  obtained  the  meat  to  j)oison  the  people.  In  the 
Mvor  aul  lakes  are  found  various  kintls  of  fishes.  The  i)eople 
lui  1  particular  time  of  the  moon  to  make  sugar,  plant  corn,  and 
hunt  deer  and  other  animals.  The  seasons  of  the  year  they  are 
directed  by  the  seven  stars  of  the  heavens:  when  warriors  travel 
in  a  great  forest  they  are  guided  by  a  northern  star;  if  the  sun 
or  moon  is  eclipse;!  they  believe  that  the  Bad  Spirit  darkens  it  : 
the  people  are  a-isemble;l,  and  make  a  loud  noise  to  scare  the 
Hal  Spirit  from  the  orb.  They  believe  that  the  clouds  in  the 
moon  were  earth  and  inhabited  by  people.  The  six  family  made 
resident  near  the  mouth  of  Neuse  river  in  North  Carolina,  and 
h.'cane  three  tribes,  the  Kautanohakau,  Kauwetseka,  and  Tusca- 
rora,  and  unite!  into  a  league  and  were  at  war  with  the  Nanti- 
cokes,  and  totally  on  the  sea  shores.  Al)Out  this  time  the  Long 
House  became  numerous  and  powerful;  each  nation  could  mus- 
te "  as  folloA's: — the  Mowhawks,  5,000  warriors;  Oneidas.  3,500 
warriors;  Senecas.  6.000  warriors;  Onondagas  4,000  warriors; 
Cayugas.  4500  warriors;  total  amount,  23,000  warriors.  The 
Mowhawkwas  considere.l  an  oldest  brother,  and  was  appointed  to 
keep  a  watch  towards  the  sunrise,  the  Senecas  were  a])pointed  to 


36  CUSICKS    SIX    NATIONS. 

keep  a  watch  towards  the  sunsetting.     The  Senators  met  annu- 
ally, at  the  fort  Onondaga,  to  promote  their  national  prosperity. 

The  Long  House  were  free  and  independent  nations,  and  have 
been  acknoA'lerlgel  in  such  treaties  made  with  them  hy  the 
neighboring  nations.  pA'ery  independent  nation  have  a  govern 
ment  of  their  o,vn;  they  have  a  national  committee  meet  oc- 
casionally; they  have  a  chief  ruler,  named  *  Ankoyan'r,  a  peace- 
maker, who  is  invested  with  authority  to  administer  the  gm-ern- 
ment.  Kach  nation  have  a  right  to  punish  individuals  of  their 
own  nation  for  offences,  committed  within  their  jurisdiction  :  each 
nation  are  bound  to  oppose  any  hostile  invasions  of  the  enemy. 

In  the  reign  Atotarho  X,  perhajis  about  250  years  before 
Columl)US  discovered  America.  The  Oyalquarkeror.  Big  Bear, 
continue  invade  the  country  at  Onondaga;  a  party  went  and  en- 
campe:!  a  day's  journey  distance  from  the  village:  they  hunted 
and  killed  a  {^^fi  deer.  One  morning  a  woman  left  the  camp  and 
was  going  home  to  pound  (X)rn  and  to  supply  the  men  with  pro- 
visions: but  before  she  reached  halfway  she  was  attacked  by  the 
monstrous  Bear,  and  was  soon  devoured,  as  she  did  not  return. 
The  men  were  anxiously  waiting,  and  were  sus|)icious  about  her: 
a  man  was  sent  to  see  if  she  was  coming;  he  advanced  where 
she  was  assaulted,  and  discovered  the  ])lace  of  her  remams  ;  he 
soon  |)erceive;l  their  fate;  he  immediately  reported  and  the  men 
immediately  proceedetl  to  the  place;  and  while  examining  her 
remains  the  bear  made  a  vigorous  attack  :  the  men  met  a  severe 
engagement,  but  in  the  meantime  the  monster  was  kille;! :  they 
j)rocure  1  some  of  the  meat  fof  useful  f)urj)oses. 

Atotarho- XI,  perhaps  about  150  years  before  Columbus  dis- 
covered America.  About  this  time  the  Tuscaroras  sends  messen- 
gers and  renewed  their  intercourse  with  the  five  nations.  Tlie 
Tuscaroras  were  yet  numerous  and  had  twenty-four  large  towns» 


*  ilufco//ff «f'r,  i.  B  Lord.  No  one  can  hold  this  oflBee  except  a  Turtle  tribe,  he 
^ovt>rn8  the  nation,  hilt  not  allowed  togo  out  to  wai,  his  duty  is  to  stay  home  anri 
preserve  pt>ace  among  ills  jieople. 


CUSICK.  S    SIX    \.\  1  IONS.  37 

and  ])rol)ably  could  muster  six  thousand  warriors.  They  pos- 
sessed the  country  lying  between  the  sea  shores  and  the  moun- 
tains, which  divide  the  Atlantic  states;  but  afterwards  a  contest 
ar,)se  and  the  southern  nations,  the  Oyatoh.  Kwntariroraunuh, 
Caweda.  The  war  lasted  for  many  years;  unfortunately  it  became  so 
distressed  that  the  Tuscaroras'  frontier  settlements  were  reduced 
considerably,  but  the  Tuscaroras  send  expresses  and  received  as- 
sistance from  their  brethren,  the  P'ive  Nations,  and  war  was  car- 
ried on  t'or  some  time ;  at  last  the  enemy  was  compelled  to  sus- 
pend their  hostility. 

The  BLMr  tribes  nominate  the  Chief  Warrior  of  the  nation. 
'I'he  laws  of  the  confederation  provides  the  Onondagas  to  furnish 
a  King,  and  the  Mowhawks  a  great  war  chief  of  the  Five  Nations. 

About  this  time  an  earthquake  was  felt  throughout  the  king 
doni.  supposed  a  large  comet  fell  into  some  of  the  lakes  ;  and 
other  signs  were  seen  in  the  heavens.  The  defender  ceased 
from  visiting  the  peo|)le  in  bodily  form,  but  appeared  to  the 
pro])het.  In  a  dream  he  foretells  the  whites  would  cross  the  Big 
Waters  and  bring  some  liquors,  and  buy  up  the  red  [)eople's 
lands;  he  advises  them  not  to  comply  with  the  wishes  of  the 
whites,  lest  they  should  ruin  themselves  and  displease  their  Ma- 
ker; they  would  destroy  the  tree  of  j)eace  and  extinguish  the 
(rreat  Council  Fire  at  Onondaga,  which  was  so  long  preserved  to 
promote  their  national  sovereignty. 

In  the  reign  Atotarho  XII,  perhaps  about  50  years  before 
Columbus  discovered  America,  the  '.rehatirihokea.  or  Mowhawks 
was  at  war  with  Ranatsiiaganha,  supposed  Mohegans,  who  occu- 
|)ied  the  opposite  bank  of  the  river  Skaunataty  or  Hudson.  The 
warfare  was  maintained  by  small  expeditions;  the  Mowhawks 
would  cross  the  river  and  attack  the  enemy ;  the  canoes  were 
kept  in  the  river  continually  to  cover  their  retreat ;  but  after  a 
while  the  .VIohegans  expaliated  the  war  :  the  chief  of  the  Mow- 
hawks received  orders  from  the  King,  and  invited  the  two  con- 
federate nations,  the  O.ieidas  and  the  Onondagas,  to  unite  against 


^8  cusick's  six  naiions. 

the  common  enemy  ;  the  hand  of  the  coml)ine(l  forces  immedi- 
.ilely  crossed  the  river  and  revenged  a  |)art  of  the  country,  and 
the  enemy  were  compelled  to  sue  for  peace. 

In  the  reign  Atotarho  XIII.  in  the  year  1492,  Columbus  dis- 
<<)verel  the  America.  The  Keatahkiehroneah  were  fightingwith 
the  neighboring  tribes  and  were  .injurious  to  the  frontier  settle- 
ments. The  five  nations  sends  Thoyenogea  with  an  army  of  five 
thousand  warriors  and  defeated  the  Keatahkiehroneah  and  drove 
them  west  of  the  Ohio  River;  and  they  lay  waste  the  enemies' 
country,  and  attacked  other  tribes,  etc.  About  this  time  the 
Krians  declared  a  war  against  the  Five  Nations;  a  long  bloody 
war  ensued  ;  at  last  the  Krians  were  driven  from  the  country,  and 
supposed  were  incor|)orated  with  some  of  the  southern  nations  : 
after  which  the  kingdom  enjoyed  without  disturbance  for  many 
years. 

The  Mowhawk  was  considered  the  oldest  language  of  the 
confederacy. 

Mowhaiok.  7)isc<rrora. 

1.  W'lis-kot,  I.  Vntchee, 

2.  Tack-ny,                       .  2.  Nake-tee, 

3.  Au-suh,  3.  Au-sh, 

4.  Kau-valy,  4.  Hun  tock, 

5.  Wisk,  5.  Whisk, 

6.  Yua-yak.  6.  0-yak, 

7.  (iia-tock,  7.  (xianock, 

8.  Sot-tai-gon,  8.  Nake-ruh, 

9.  Tew-do,  9.  Ni-ruh, 
10.  Oya-ly.  10.  Wots-huh. 

E  N  D 


NOTH(i, 


UN 


lS)aviel  ©U5icH'5   i)K©tcl]e5 


OF 


ANCIKNT   HISTORY 


OF    lUE 


SIX   NATIONS, 


UY 


W.    iy|.    BeaVichamp.   g.   T.    Q., 
BALDWJNSVILLE,  X.   Y. 


Fello7d  of  American  Associatioij  for  the  Advancement 

of  Science,  etc. 

1    H  «>  -J  . 


NOTES   ON   UUSICKS   SIX   NATIONS.  41 


NtOTE§  ON 


^KBu^icK'?  Hi^^o^Vi- 


I  have  thought  it  adviHable  to  add  copiouH  noteH,  beginning  with 
Cusick  himnelf: 

Y^AVII)  CUSICK,  who  wrote  the  '-Sketches  of  Ancient 
I©/  History  of  the  Six  Nations."  was  the  son  of  Nicholas 
Cvisick.  a  Tiiscarora,  who  (hed  on  the  reservation  near  Lewiston, 
N.  Y.,  in  1840,  being  about  82  years  oh].  David  died  not  long 
after  his  father.  He  had  a  fair  education,  an(i  was  thought  a  good 
doctor  by  both  whites  and  Indians.  'I'he  family  at  first  lived  in 
Madison  county,  where  the  Tuscaroras  had  \illages  among  the 
Oneidas,  and  Nicholas  was  a  subscribing  witness  to  a  deed  of 
land  from  the  Oneidas  to  the  State  of  New  York,  March  3d, 
1810. 

Three  editions  of  Cusick's  History  have  appeared.  The  au- 
thor's was  the  first,  the  preface  being  dated  at  Tuscarora  Village. 
June  10.  1825.  and  the  coi)yright  aided  a  little  later,  January  3, 
1826,  This  was  printed  at  Lewiston.  without  illustrations.  The 
second  edition  had  four  wood  cuts,  and  was  published  at  the 
same  place  in  1828.  The  third  was  published  at  Lockport,  N. 
Y..  in  1848,  and  from  this  the  present  is  literally  printed,  cor- 
rections being  reserved  for  the  notes.  This  also  had  pictures  by 
the  historian.  The  first  and  best  known  of  these  is  ''.^totarho, 
a  famous  War  Cnief,  resided  at  Onondaga."     He  sits  on  a  stool. 


4i  NOTKS    ON    CUSICK's    SIX    NATIONS. 

smokinj,',  and  the  two  tlcpulics  aijpioat  li  liim.  Tlic  second  is 
"A  War  I3ance,"  where  four  Indians  dance,  the  Indian  drum 
being  played  by  another.  The  third  is  of  two  "  Stonish  diants,"' 
pursuing  three  retreating  Indians.  The  fourth  is  "The  Klying 
Head  put  to  flight  by  a  Woman  parching  Acorns."  All  these  are 
in  the  edition  of  1841.  Atolarho  and  the  Klying  Head  are  given 
in  the  Second  Annual  Report  of  the  lUireau  of  Kthnoh)gy,  with 
two  others.  One  is  "Returning  Thanks  to  the  (ireat  Spirit,"  in 
which  four  Indians  dance  by  two  fues,  while  another  beats  the 
drum  ;  a  False  Face  and  two  women  complete  the  grouj).  The 
other  is  a  •'  Stone  (iiant  or  Cannibal."  Four  Indians  run  away 
from  him,  and  some  are  slung  upon  his  back. 

David  Cusick  had  a  brother  James,  who  became  a  Baptist 
minister  in  1838,  and  was  a  man  of  note.  He  has  been  confused 
with  David  by  some.  He  published  a  collection  of  Indian 
hymns,  and  died  in  Canada. 

Albert   Cusick.  grandson   of  James,   was  born   at   Tuscarora, 
December  25,  1846,  his  mother  being  an  Onondaga,  of  the  Eel 
tribe.     Belonging  to  tl:at  clan  and  ration,  he  went  to  Onondaga 
in  1858,  becoming  a  war  chief  in  i860,  and  a  i)rincipal  chief  two 
years  later.      In   1864  he  was   made  Talotaho,  or  head  chief  of 
the  Six  Nations,  holding  this  c  ffice  until  he  became  a  Christian, 
ten   years   later.     He   has   aic'ed  me  and  others  mu<-.h.  and  lor 
many  years  was  lay  reader  and   interpreter   for  the  Onondaga 
EpiKco])al  Mission,  besides  being  active  in  temperance  work.    In 
the  Church  of  the  Gtod   Shep'heid.   Onondaga  Castle,  he   was 
made  a  deacon  by  Bisho])  Huntington.  October  i,  1891.     Much 
interesting  and  valuable  matter  in  this  volume  is  credited  to  him. 
Page  I.     The  tale  of  the  creation  is  quite  old.  and  is  substan- 
tially that  of  the  Hurons,     Among  them  the  woman's  name  was 
Atahentsic.  and  the  turtle  and  beaver  l.elped  her.     Her  sons  are 
Tawiskaron  and  Jouskeka,  the  latter  slaying  his  brother.     Some 
regard  the  survivor  as  the  sun,  and  Tharonhiawagon,  or  Areskoui, 
the  Great  Spirit,  as  his  child.     The  (iod  of  war  was  called  Ares- 


NUTES   ON    CUSICKS    SIX    NAIIONS.  4) 

koui,  by  the  Hurons,  and  Agreskouc  by  the  Mohawks,  Father 
Jogue.s,  however,  gives  the  former  name  to  him  among  the  Mo- 
hawks, and  says  that  human  sacrifices  were  offered  to  him  in  his 
presence.  I  j-ee  no  reason  for  identifying  him  with  the  Holder 
of  the  Heavens.  Charlevoix  notes  it  as  curious  that  the  Oreek 
word  y//v'j-,  meaning  the  god  of  war,  should  be  identical  with  the 
root  of  lr<K|uois  warlike  terms.  In  an  Onondaga  story  Tharon- 
hiawagon  becomes  Hiawatha,  and  dwells  on  earth  for  a  time. 
This  story,  however,  seems  recent. 

Van  der  Donck  relates  that  the  woman  who  de.'-cended  from 
heaven,  rested  on  ii  bar  gradually  rising  above  the  waters.  She 
brought  forth  a  tleer,  bear  and  wolf,  and  brought  them  to  ma- 
turity. Cohabiting  with  these,  she  bore  other  creatures  until  the 
earth  was  filled,  when  she  returned  to  heaven.  As  men  were 
thus  descended  from  animals,  they  partially  have  their  characters. 

Canassatego's  story  has  some  relation  to  that  of  Hiawatha,  and 
is  interesting  as  i)receding  1750.  I  quote  it  from  Charles  Miner's 
History  of  Wyoming.  This  Onondaga  chief  was  a  warm  friend 
of  the  Moravians,  and  this  may  have  colored  his  story. 

'*  When  our  good  Manitta  raised  Akanishionegy  out  of  the 
great  w  aters,  he  said  to  his  brethren,  '  How  fine  a  country  is 
this  !  I  will  make  red  men,  the  best  of  men,  to  enjoy  it.'  Then 
with  five  handfuls  of  red  seed,  like  the  eggs  of  flies,  did  he  strow 
the  fertile  fields  of  Onondaga.  Little  worms  came  out  of  the 
seeds,  and  penetrated  the  earth,  when  the  spirits  who  had  never 
yet  ieen  the  light,  entered  into  and  united  with  them.  Manitta 
watered  the  earth  with  his  rain,  the  sun  warmed  it,  the  worms 
with  the  sp'iiils  in  them  grew,  jAitting  forth  little  aims  and  legs, 
and  moved  the  light  eaith  to  cover  them.  After  nine  moons 
they  came  forth  peifect  boys  and  girls.  Manitta  covered  them 
with  his  mantle  of  warm,  jurple  cloud,  and  nourished  them  with 
milk  from  his  fingers'  ends.  Nine  summers  did  he  nurse  them, 
and  nine  f-ummers  did  he  instruct  them  how  to  live.  In  the  mean- 
lime  he   had   made   for  their  use,  trees,  plants,  and  animals  of 


44  NOTES    ON    CUSICK's    SIX    NATIONS. 

various  kinds.  Akanishionegy  was  covered  with  woods,  and 
filled  with  creatures.  Then  he  assembled  his  children  together, 
a:id  said,  '  Ye  are  Five  Nations,  for  you  sprang  each  from  a 
di:Tc;"e.it  ha  idful  of  the  seed  1  sowed,  but  ye  are  all  brethren, 
and  I  am  your  father,  for  1  made  you  all.  I  have  nursed  and 
brought  you  up.  Mohawks,  I  have  made  you  bold  and  valiant ; 
and  see,  I  give  you  corn  for  food.  Oneidas,  I  have  made  you 
patient  of  pain  and  of  hunger;  the  nuts  and  fruits  of  the  trees 
are  you.s.  Senecas,  I  have  made  you  industrious  and  active; 
beans  do  I  give  you  for  nourishment.  Cayugas,  1  have  made 
you  strong,  friendly  and  generous;  ground  nuts  and  every  root 
shall  refresh  you.  Onondagas,  I  have  made  you  wise,  just  and 
eloquent,  squashes  and  gra|)es  1  have  given  you,  and  tobacco  to 
smoke  in  council.  The  beasts,  birds,  and  fishes  have  I  given  to 
you  all  in  common.  As  I  have  loved  you  and  taken  care  of  you 
all,  SO  do  ye  love  and  take  care  of  one  another.  Communicate 
freely  to  each  other  the  good  things  1  have  given  you,  and  learn 
to  imitate  each  other's  virtues.  1  have  made  you  the  best  peo- 
ple in  the  world,  and  I  give  you  the  best  country.  You  will  de 
fend  it  fiom  the  invasions  of  other  nations,  from  the  children  of 
other  Manittas,  and  keep  possession  of  it  for  yourselves,  while 
the  sun  and  moon  give  light,  and  the  waters  run  in  the  rivers. 
This  you  shall  do  if  you  observe  my  words.  Spirits,  1  am  about 
to  leave  you.  The  bodies  I  have  given  you  will  in  time  grow 
old,  and  wear  out,  so  that  you  will  be  weary  of  them ;  or  from 
various  accidents  they  will  become  unfit  for  your  habitations,  and 
you  will  leave  them.  I  cannot  always  remain  here  to  give  you 
new  ones.  1  have  great  aftairs  to  mind  in  ilistant  places,  and  1 
cannot  attend  so  long  to  the  nursing  of  children.  I  b.ave  en- 
abled you,  therefore,  among  yourselves  to  produce  new  bodies, 
to  supply  the  places  of  the  old  ones,  that  every  one  of  you,  when 
he  parts  with  his  old  habitation,  may  in  due  time  find  a  new  one, 
and  never  wander  longer  than  he  chooses  under  the  earth,  de- 
prived of  the  light  of  the  sun.     Nourish  and  instruct  your  chi'- 


NOTES    ON    CUSICK's    SIX    NATIONS.  45 

(Iren,  as  I  have  nourished  and  instructed  you.  Be  just  to  all  men, 
and  kind  to  strangers  that  come  among  you.  So  shall  you  be 
happy  and  loved  by  all.  and  I  myself  will  sometimes  visit  and 
assist  you.'  Saying  this,  he  wrapped  himself  in  a  bright  cloud, 
and  went  like  a  swift  arrow  to  the  sun,  where  his  brethren  re 
joiced  at  his  return.  From  the  heavens  he  often  looked  down  at 
•Vkanishionegy.  and  pointing,  showed  with  pleasure  to  his  breth 
ren  the  country  he  had  formed,  and  tiie  nations  he  had  produced 
to  inhabit  it.'' 

l^age  3.     Among  the   Onondagas   now  the   name  for  the  Iro- 
•  jiiois,  simply  as  a  race,  is  Oon-qua-hone  we,  ••  Real   Men."     In 
(lians  were  made  by  the  Great  Spirit,  Sone-yah-tis-saye,   -  the 
One  that  made  us,"  and  of  red  clay,  and  that  is  why  Indians  are 
red.     The  white  man  was  formed  afterwards,  of  ocean  foam,  and 
IS  white.     Ta-ren-ya-wa  gon    in    Mohawk,   'i'a-en-yah-wah  ke  in 
Onondaga,  the  Holder  of  the  Heavens,  is  a  name  used  in  relig 
lous  ceremonies  only  when   tlie  white  dog   is  burned.     At  other 
leasts  the  term  Sone-yah-tis-sa-ye   takes   its  place,  and  i     often 
used  by  Christian  Indians.     Ha  wen-ne  yu,  or  (lod,  (One  that 
rules  in  all  things,)  is  commonlv  used  bv  the  latter,  and  oritiin 
ated  with  the  French  missionaries.     Manitou  is  not  an  Iroquois 


word 


ri"-e  subject  of  religious  belief  will  not  be  considered  largely 
now,  but  much  of  it  was  vague  at  an  early  day.  The  lesser  di 
vinities  seemed  of  most  importance,  and  received  most  attention. 
Kirkland  relates  that  a  Tuscarora  chief  warned  his  children 
against  Christianity.  He  was  old,  and  his  dead  friends  came  to 
see  him.  Among  these  his  brother  told  him  his  time  was  not  yet 
come.  Our  religion,  said  he,  has  four  little  gods.  In  the  east 
was  Tyogetoet,  risini:^  up,  or  ma  kin  i^:;  its  appearance  ;  in  the  west 
was  Yucataghphki,  twilight;  in  the  north,  Jothoel,  a  little  cold ; 
ill  the  south.  Unte. 

Charlevoix  gives  the  usual  legend  of  the  creation,  with  some 
other  names   and  another.     Tarenyawagon  kicks  his  wife  out  of 


4^  notp:s  on  cusick's  six  nations. 

the  sky, 'and  she  falls  on  the  tortoise.     She  crawls  to  the  foot  of 
a  tree,  where  she  bears  twins,  and  Tawiskaron  kills  his  brother. 

Page  4.  Some  curious  prehistoric  American  figures  of  apes, 
in  stone,  have  been  illustrated  by  Mr.  James  Terry,  but  Cusick's 
idea  is  probably  modern. 

Page  5,  in  Part  II.  It  seems  probable  that  the  Iroquois  de- 
veloped in  Canada,  as  a  family,  and  may  have  been  affected  by 
Eskimo  contact,  at  least.  Articles  of  the  Eskimo  type  are  found 
along  Lake  Cham  plain  and  south  of  Lake  Ontario,  but  appar- 
ently earlier  than  the  Iroquois  period.  The  densest  Huron-Iro- 
quois population  certainly  had  Niagara  river  as  a  centre,  but 
whether  the  family  spread  out  from  this,  or  reached  it  from  the 
east  or  west,  is  yet  a  problem.  My  own  opinion,  founded  on  ex- 
tended data,  is  that  the  family  came  from  the  west,  separating  at 
first  at  the  west  end  of  Lake  Erie,  part  entering  Canada,  and 
part  Ohio.  At  the  east  of  the  lake,  or  the  Niagara  river,  there 
was  again  a  meeting  and  separation.  The  two  streams  still  pro- 
ceeded eastward,  with  an  overflow  to  the  south.  The  Hurons, 
Neutrals,  and  Eries  remained  in  their  historic  seats,  the  Senecas 
and  Cayugas  went  further  on.  At  the  same  time  the  advancing 
stream  left  the  Onondagas  in  Jefferson  county,  N.  Y.,  while  the 
Mohawks  occupied  the  lower  St.  Lawrence.  When  the  Cana- 
dian war  commenced  the  Mohawks  and  Onondagas  were  forced 
further  south,  into  New  York,  and  soon  came  in  contact  with 
the  Cayugas  and  Senecas.  Leaving  out  minor  matters,  this  is 
the  broad  story  which  archaeology  and  tradition  tell.  As  they 
were  tillers  of  the  soil,  geological  conditions  affected  their  move- 
ments much. 

Page  5.  Kanawage  or  Kanawaga,  the  River  St.  Lawrence,  is 
the  "  Rapid  River."  There  were  Iroquois  settlements  near  it, 
some  described  in  1535,  and  some  known  only  by  remains. 

Page  5.  Some  have  found  a  tradition  of  early  European  or 
Phoenician  voyages,  in  the  story  of  the  foreign  people  wrecked 
on  the  southern  part  of  the  Great  Island. 


NOTES    ON    CUSICK  S    SIX    NA 1  IONS.  47 

Pages-     Ronnongwetowane  means  " Big  People,"  in   Onon- 
laga. 

Page  6.  The  giant,  the  princess  and  her  brother  go  through 
incidents  resembling  European  tales.  Donhtonha's  name  sug 
gests  the  Canadian  ch'ef,  Donaconna,  in  Cartier's  early  voyage 
t(i  the  St.  Lawrence.  Phosphorescent  wood  is  well  kno.vn.  In 
heir  early  long  houses,  the  Huron-Iroquois  had  two  tiers  of 
berths  or  seats,  framed  into  the  walls,  and  leaving  a  wide  alley 
through  the  centre.  The  change  of  the  giant  and  his  wife  into 
stars  is  hardly  *'  a  real  account." 

Page  8.  'I^he  young  man  attending  the  old  chief,  and  called 
Vatatonwatea.  may  be  Ya-tah-ta-wah-te.  '' My  Nephew'' 

Page  9.  Shot  yer-rous-kwe  means  "J//j-^///>7v;//j-J/<///."  There 
arc  many  mistakes  in  proper  names,  but  they  are  left  in  the  text. 
using  Onondaga  words  in  correction. 

Page  10.  The  Big  Quisquis  is  the  "  7//^ //r^.j^."  but  as  swine 
came  with  the  whites.  Cusick  heresugges^^ts  (he  Mammoth.  Some 
have  thought  tl'.at  famous  chiefs  may  have  been  meant  by  this 
and  the  Big  Elk. 

It  is  tolerably  certain  that  the  mastodon,  often  called  the 
mammoth,  was  contemporaneous  with  man  in  America,  its  re- 
mains having  been  found  in  several  places  associated  with  human 
traces.  The  elephant  pipes  and  mounds  are  doubtful  proofs,  the 
alter  representing  some  other  animal.  Traditions  of  this  crea- 
ture are  of  little  authority,  yet  of  some  interest,  for  which  reason 
1  give  the  one  related  in  Jefiferson's  "  Notes  on  Virginia." 

"A  delegation  of  warriors  from  the  Delaware  tribe  having 
visited  the  governor  of  Virginia  during  the  revolution,  on  matters 
of  business,  the  governor  asked  them  some  questions  relative  to 
tlieir  country,  and  among  others,  what  they  knew  or  had  heard 
of  the  animal  whose  bones  were  found  at  the  Salt-licks,  on  the 
Ohio.  Their  chief  speaker  immediately  put  himself  into  an  at- 
titude of  oratoiy.  and  with  a  pomp  suited  to  what  he  conceived 
the  elevation  of  his  subject,  informed  him,  that  it  was  a    radition 


48  NOTES    ON    CUSICK's    SIX    NA'nONS. 

banded  down  from  their  fathers,  that  in  ancient  times  a  herd  of 
these  tremendous  animals  came  to  the  Big-bone  Hcks,  and  began 
an  universal  destruction  of  the  bear,  deer,  elk,  buffalo,  and  other 
animals  which  had  been  created  for  the  use  of  the  Indians.  That 
the  Great  iMan  above,  looking  down  and  seeing  this,  was  so  en 
raged  that  he  seized  his  lightning,  descended  on  the  earth,  seated 
himself  on  a  neighboring  mountain  on  a  rock,  of  which  his  seat 
and  the  prints  of  his  feet  are  still  to  be  seen,  and  hurled  his  bolt 
among  them,  till  the  whole  were  slaughtered  except  the  big  bull, 
who,  presenting  his  forehead  to  the  shafts,  shook  them  off  as  they 
fell,  but  missing  one  at  length,  it  wounded  him  in  the  side,  where- 
upon, springing  round,  he  boimded  over  the  Ohio,  over  the  Wa- 
bash, the  Illinois,  and  finally  over  the  great  lakes,  where  he  is 
living  at  this  day."'  Both  mammoth  and  mastodon  were  herbivo 
rous,  but  Cusick  may  have  heard  this  story. 

An  allusion  to  the  large  animals  appears  in  "The  Warrior 
saved  by  Pigmies,"  in  Mrs.  E.  A.  Smith's  collection.  A  sick  war 
rior,  left  by  a  salt  lick  beyond  the  Allegany,  saw  three  pigmies 
come  and  lie  in  ambush  for  the  great  animals  which  came  out  of 
the  ground.  They  killed  two  buffalo  cows  which  came  up.  They 
fed  him,  and  he  told  the  story  on  his  return  home.  "  From  a 
strong  desire  to  see  the  '  lick,'  a  large  party  searched  for  it,  and 
found  it  surrounded  with  bones  of  various  large  animals  killed  by 
the  ])igmies." 

Page  lo.  The  northern  confederacy  may  have  been  the 
Huron  in  Canada,  or  one  between  the  Onondagas  and  Mohawks 
in  their  early  seats.  There  are  two  other  groups  on  the  St.  Law 
rence  which  may  be  included.  In  1755,  Pouchot  mentioned 
Te-can-an-ou-ar-on-e-si,  the  south  branch  of  Sandy  Creek,  as  the 
place  where  the  Iroquois  came  out  of  the  ground.  The  vicinity 
abounds  with  early  earthworks.  The  old  Mohawk  tradition  is 
that  they  removed  from  Montreal  late  in  the  sixteenth  century. 
Patient  examination  of  the  Mohawk  valley  shows  that  they  did 
not  enter  it   until  that  time.     The  N.  Y.  Indians  used  several 


NOTES   ON    CUSICK's   SIX    NATIONS.  49 

rm)ts  for  bread  and  cooking.  Among  these  were  ground  nuts, 
Indian  turnips,  and  the  man-of-the-earth,  or  wild  potato.  The 
Potato  clan  of  the  Senecas  had  the  ground  nut  for  its  totem. 

There  is  a  prevalent  idea  that  the  Indians  cultivated  and 
owned  their  lands  in  common.  Without  giving  the  full  testimony 
on  the  other  side,  it  may  be  sufficient  to  quote  from  three  early 
witnesses.  Capt.  John  Smith  said  of  the  early  Virginia  Indians, 
••  Kach  household  knowelh  their  own  lands  and  gardens,  and  most 
live  on  their  own  labours."  Roger  Williams  said,  ''The  natives 
are  very  exact  and  punctuall  in  the  bounds  of  the  lands  belong- 
ing to  this  or  that  jMince  or  people,  (even  to  a  river,  brook,)  etc. 
And  I  have  known  them  make  bargaine  and  sale,  among  them- 
selves, for  a  small  piece  or  quantity  of  ground."  Sir  William 
Johnson  was  even  more  explicit  about  the  N.  Y.  Indians.  He 
said  "  That  it  is  a  difficult  matter  to  discover  the  true  owner  of 
any  lands  amongst  Indians,  is  a  gross  error,  which  must  arise 
iVom  the  total  ignorance  of  the  matter,  or  from  a  cause  which 
docs  not  require  explanation.  Plach  nation  is  perfectly  well  ac- 
quainted with  their  exact  original  bounds,  the  same  is  again  di- 
vided into  due  proportions  for  each  tribe,  and  afterwards  subdi- 
vided into  shares  to  each  family,  with  all  which  they  are  most  par- 
ticidarly  acquainted;  neither  do  they  ever  infringe  upon  one 
another,  or  invade  their  neighbor's  hunting  grounds."  This  he 
wrote  in  1764. 

Page  10.  Some  have  thought  the  Emperor  of  the  Golden 
City  a  Mexican  monarch,  and  that  the  Mound  Builders  of  the 
Ohio  and  Mississippi  valleys  were  his  subjects.  Heckewelderde- 
s(  ril)es  a  war  of  the  Iroquois  and  Delavvares,  or  Lenni-Lenape, 
against  the  Alligewi,  (Alleghany,)  usually  considered  the  Mound 
Builders. 

Page  II.  The  blazing  star  falling  into  a  fort,  may  be  a  remin- 
iscence of  a  bomb-shell.  The  Iroquois  conquered  the  Hurons  in 
Canada  in  1649,  and  made  their  land  a  wilderness,  completing 
the  work  by  the  destiuction  of  the  Tobacco  and  Neutral  nations. 


5°  NOTES    ON    CUSICK  S    SIX    NATIONS. 

01(1  maps  are  pathetic  with  tJieir  notes  of  "  nations  destroyed." 

Page  II.  The  Thunders  are  especially  reverenced  for  de- 
stroying the  serpents,  and  curious  legends  of  this  are  yet  told. 
Mrs.  E.  A.  Smith  gives  some,  and  I  add  one  told  me  at  Onon- 
daga, which  Albert  Cusick  once  heard. 

Indian  story  tellers  receive  a  present  of  tobacco,  and  this  pre- 
ceded the  tale  of  the  Thunders  and  Lake  Serpent.  It  is  one  of 
many,  but  has  been  received  by  me  alone. 

In  an  Indian  village  lived  two  squaws,  not  far  apart,  who  were 
very  good  friends.  Each  had  a  child,  born  about  the  same  time, 
and  these  jjlayed  together,  and  shot  with  their  little  bows  and 
arrows.  As  they  grew  bigger  they  wanted  stronger  bows,  which 
their  uncles  made.  They  became  skdlful  with  these,  and  then 
wanted  some  still  stronger,  that  they  might  hunt  larger  game,  for 
they  were  now  young  men.  The  women  admired  one,  and  some 
would  have  married  him,  but  he  wanted  no  wife.  His  friend  told 
him  he  had  better  marry,  or  something  bad  might  hapjien.  He 
said  he  would  do  so  soon,  but  first  they  would  have  a  hunt 
together,  on  their  favorite  ground. 

Their  mothers  roasted  corn  and  pounded  it  into  meal,  which 
would  keep  a  long  time,  and  was  light  to  carry.  The  young  men 
filled  their  sacks  with  this,  and  then  went  to  their  hunting  grounds. 
They  walked  all  day,  and  camped  in  the  woods.  They  walked 
the  next  day,  and  camped  on  the  hunting  grounds,  where  they 
built  a  lodge.  They  hunted  every  day,  and  one  brought  home  a 
great  deal  of  game.  The  other  found  none,  and  said  but  little. 
This  happened  several  times,  and  the  one  who  had  been  so 
favored  and  haj^jpy,  was  gloomy  all  the  time.  Every  morning 
they  went  in  opposite  directions,  but  one  day  the  lucky  hunter 
thought  he  would  follow  his  friend,  and  see  what  he  did.  He 
went  a  little  way  as  before,  and  then  turned  back  after  him.  He 
was  running  very  fast  through  the  woods,  and  he  followed  until 
they  came  to  a  small  lake.  The  first  one  plunged  in  and  swam 
to  the  other  side,  while   his  friend  ran  around.     The  swimmer 


NOTES    ON    CUSICK  S    SIX    NATIONS.  5I 

reached  the  shore  first,  and  they  ran  to  a  second  and  larger  lake, 
where  they  did  the  same,  but  the  one  on  land  was  ahead.  The 
other  then  turned  back,  and  his  friend  ran  past  both  lakes,  so 
that  he  was  hid  in  the  bushes  when  the  swimmer  came  ashore. 
He  caught  him  at  once,  and  asked  what  was  the  matter.  At  first 
he  could  say  nothing,  but  after  awhile  he  came  to  himself,  and 
said  he  was  to  be  married.  When  his  friend  wanted  him  he 
must  come  to  the  lake,  and  bring  fresh  Indian  tobacco  with  some 
clean  clay  pipes,  and  lay  these  on  bark  just  peeled  from  the  tree. 
Then  he  must  say  to  the  lake,  "I  want  to  see  my  friend."  So 
he  went  off  another  way  and  married  the  big  serpent  in  the  lake. 

The  hunter  went  back  to  his  cabin,  and  was  very  sorry  for  his 
friend.  He  built  a  fire  and  sat  sadly  beside  it.  Then  he  heard 
some  one  coming.  He  turned  around,  and  a  young  man  stood 
ill  the  door,  dressed  in  white,  and  with  white  feathers  on  his  head. 
He  said,  -  You  seem  in  trouble,  but  you  are  the  only  one  that 
can  help  us.  so  my  chief  has  sent  me  to  invite  you  to  our  coun- 
cil." Then  he  gave  hmi  wampum  to  show  that  this  was  a  true 
message  from  a  chief  The  hunter  said,  "Where  is  the  coun. 
cil  ?  "  The  messenger  replied,  "  Why,  you  came  right  by  our 
lodge.     Follow  me  and  you  will  find  it." 

So  he  went  with  him,  not  very  far,  till  he  came  to  a  place 
where  smoke  was  rising  from  the  ground.  There  he  saw  a  wig- 
wam, which  they  entered.  Eight  chiefs  were  sitting  on  the 
ground,  with  white  feathers  on  their  heads,  the  principal  chief 
having  the  largest  plumes  of  all,  'I'he  hunter  sat  down  and 
smoked  with  them.  When  the  pipe  came  round  to  the  principal 
chief,-  he  rose  and  spoke  to  the  young  man :  '•  You  have  come 
to  help  us,  and  we  have  waited  for  you  a  long  time."  He  said. 
'•How  can  I  help  you?"  The  chief  answered,  "Your  friend 
has  married  the  big  seri)ent.  whom  we  must  kill.  He  has  told 
you  how  to  call  him;  so  we  will  furnish  the  tobacco  and  pi|)es." 
The  chiefs  then  gave  him  clean  pipes  and  fresh  tobacco,  which 
the  hunter  took  and  went  to  the  lake.     The  chief  said,  "  When 


52  NOTES    ON    CUSICKS    SIX    NATIONS. 

your  friend  comes,  you  must  ask  for  his  wife  also.  She  wall  want 
to  know  if  the  skies  axe  clear.  When  she  comes  you  must  take 
her  and  your  friend  a  little  way  from  the  shore.  The  chiefs  will 
come  in  the  form  of  a  cloud ;  on  the  lake,  not  in  the  sky." 

So  he  took  the  clean  pipes,  the  tobacco  and  fresh  bark,  and 
went  to  the  water  and  called  foi  his  friend,  saying  he  was  going 
away,  and  wished  to  see  him.  Out  in  the  lake  the  water  began 
to  boil,  and  coming  out  of  it  he  saw  his  friend.  He  had  a  spot 
on  his  forehead,  and  looked  like  a  serpent,  and  yet  like  a  man. 
When  he  came  a.shore  the  hunter  talked  with  him,  and  asked 
what  he  should  tell  his  mother  when  he  got  home. 

Then  he  wanted  to  see  his  wife,  for  his  mother  might  ask  what 
she  was  like.  He  said  that  she  might  not  wish  to  come,  but  he 
would  try.  So  he  went  to  the  shore  and  lay  down,  placing  his 
lips  to  the  water  and  beginning  to  drink.  Then  the  hunter  saw 
him  going  down  through  the  water  like  a  snake.  Soon  the  lake 
boiled  again,  and  he  returned,  saying  his  wife  would  come,  but 
she  did  not.  Then  he  went  back,  drinking  again,  and  going 
down  like  a  serpent.  The  lake  boiled  once  more;  not  in  one 
si)ot  alone,  but  all  over,  like  a  high  sea  moved  by  the  wind ;  but 
there  was  no  wind,  though  the  waves  rolled  up  on  the  shore. 
Out  of  the  water  came  his  friend's  wife,  beautiful  to  behold,  and 
shining  as  though  with  silver  scales.  Her  long  hair  fell  all  around 
her,  and  seemed  like  silver  and  gold.  When  she  came  a.shoreaU 
three  sat  down  on  a  log,  and  talked  of  many  things. 

The  young  hunter  watched  the  lake  until  he  saw  something  mov- 
ing on  the  waters,  a  great  way  off,  which  seemed  like  a  cloud.  Then 
he  asked  them  to  go  a  little  farther  from  the  shore,  and  visit  in 
the  shade.  They  did  so,  and  as  they  were  talking  he  said  he 
must  step  aside  for  a  moment.  Then  he  ran  off  as  the  chiefs  had 
told  him.  In  a  moment  it  grew  dark,  and  there  came  terrible 
thunder  and  lightning,  and  rain  everywhere. 

All  was  still  at  last,  and  it  grew  light  again  ;  so  the  hunter 
went  back  again,  and  found  a  large  and  small  serpent  lying  dead. 


NO'J  ES    ON    CUSICK  S    SIX   NATIONS,  53 

The  eight  chiefs  were  there,  too,  having  a  great  dance,  and  re- 
joicing over  their  enemy.  Then  they  cut  up  both  serpents,  and 
made  several  bundles  of  equal  size.  Each  took  one,  and  put  it 
on  his  back.  They  thanked  the  hunter,  and  told  him  he  should 
be  always  lucky.  '•  Ask  us  for  what  you  want,  at  any  time,  and 
you  shall  have  it."  Then  they  went  through  the  woods  in  Indian 
file,  and  he  saw  them  rising  higher  and  higher,  till  they  went  up 
to  the  sky.     Then  there  was  a  great  thunder  storm. 

The  hunter  returned  to  his  lodge,  and  took  part  of  his  meat, 
carrying  it  a  half  day's  journey.  Then  he  went  back  for  more, 
and  did  this  with  the  rest,  until  he  reached  home,  and  told  the 
story  to  the  mother  of  his  friend.  She  was  very  sorry,  but 
adopted  him,  and  so  the  young  man  had  two  mothers. 

For  their  many  good  offices  the  Thunders  were  held  in  high 
esteem. 

Page  1 1 ,  'I'he  Onondagas  called  Oswego  Falls  Kah-skung-sa  ka. 
Many  Falls  following.  F^arlier  it  was  called  Gaskonchiague,  or 
(laskonchiagon,  a  name  also  given  to  Genesee  Falls.  There  is  no 
mountain  there,  and  scarcely  a  hill.  A  small  earthwork  marks 
the  spot.  The  Oswego  river  was  little  frequented  by  Indians  so 
low  down. 

Page  II.  Tarenyagon  assumed  various  shapes,  and  is  prom- 
inent in  Indian  tales,  even  taking  the  part  of  Hiawatha.  In  two 
I)laces  in  Onondaga  county,  one  rocky  and  the  other  sandy,  his 
footsteps  were  to  be  seen. 

Page  II.  The  return  and  settlement  of  the  Five  Nations 
seem  derived  from  the  order  of  the  chiefs  in  the  condolence. 
There  is  no  reason  to  suppose  they  ever  reached  the  sea  in  a  body, 
and  they  seem  to  have  come  from  different  parts.  The  Mohawks 
entered  New  Yoik  from  Montreal  and  the  lower  St.  Lawrence, 
and  but  one  of  their  towns  is  known  near  the  Mohawk  river,  not 
clearly  shewing  contact  with  the  whites.  Even  that  one  is  doubt- 
ful. In  the  condolence  the  nations  are  leckoned  frcm  the  east, 
and  this  became  historical.     For  archaeological  facts  in  this  mat- 


54  NOTES   ON   CUSICK'S   SIX    NATIONS. 

ter,  and  personal  guidance,  I  am  indebted  to  A.  G.  Richmond,  ot 
Canajoharie,  and  S.  L.  Frey,  of  Palatine  Bridge,  who  have  faith- 
fully worked  this  field.  My  own  personal  examination  of  sites 
and  relics  leaves  no  doubt  in  my  own  mind. 

The  story  of  the  expulsion  of  the  Mohawks  from  Canada,  ap- 
peared in  De  la  Fotherie's  Histoire  de  I'Amerique,  Paris,  1722. 
Governor  Burnett  quoted  from  this,  but  Charlevoix  had  given  the 
story  still  earlier,  as  one  well  known.  He  did  not  think  the  war 
between  the  Iroquois  and  the  Hurons  and  Algonquins  of  very 
long  standing  when  Champlain  came.  The  latter  Indians  were 
numerous  in  Canada,  and  foremost  in  war  and  hunting.  The 
Iroquois  made  a  treaty  wltli  them,  giving  part  of  their  harvests, 
and  receiving  game.  Ail  were  satisfte  1.  At  last  six  Algonquins 
and  six  Iroquois  went  on  a  hunt,  and  the  IroquDis  wished  to  try 
their  skill.  The  others  refused,  saying  they  would  kill  enough 
for  all,  but  in  three  days  took  nothing.  Then  the  Iroquois  went 
out  secretly,  and  came  back  loaded.  The  proud  Algonquins 
killed  them  all  while  they  slept,  and  when  the  murder  was  dis- 
covered justice  was  refused.  The  Iroquois  vowed  revenge,  and 
bound  themselves  to  perish  to  a  man,  or  have  vengeance.  Not 
yet  equal  to  their  foes,  they  went  to  a  distance  and  fought  with 
other  nations.  Then  they  turned  and  waged  a  relentless  war 
against  their  first  enemies.  Governor  Colden  says  they  fought 
first  against  the  Satanas  or  Shawnees. 

The  Five  Nations  were  variously  related  to  others.  In  1675, 
the  Senecas  desired  to  exterminate  the  Andastes  or  Susquehan- 
nas,  but  "  the  Susquehannas  being  reputed  by  the  Maques  to  be 
their  offspring,"  this  nation  desired  to  biing  them  back."  All  the 
nations  west  of  the  Mohawks  were  then  termed  Senecas,  and 
those  mentioned  as  Senecas,  warring  against  the  Susquehannas, 
were  mainly  Onondagas  and  Cayugas. 

Page  II.  Shawnaytawty,  or  Skaunataty,  (variously  spelled,) 
is  the  same  as  Schenectady,  and  was  the  old  Mohawk  name  for 
Albany.     In  1661,  at  the  time  it  was  sold  to  the  Dutch,  Schen- 


NOTES    ON    CUSICK  S    SIX    NAl  IONS.  55 

cotady  was  tailed  Schonowe,  the  Great  Flat.  'I'he  three  Mo- 
ha.vk  castles  lay  far  west  of  this,  in  Montgomery  county.  When 
first  visited  by  the  Dutch,  there  was  a  castle  for  each  clan,  the 
Bear,  Wolf,  and  Turtle.  'I'wo  villages  only  were  in  existence 
about  A.  L).  1600,  as  the  Wolf  clan  sprang  out  of  the  Bear  ac- 
cording to  an  early  writer,  |)rol)al)ly  having  lived  with  them.  One 
of  the  two  villages  is  on  the  south  side  of  the  river;  the  other  is 
in  I'-phrata,  in  l"\ilt()n  county.  Albert  Cusick  thought  'I'e-haw- 
re-h'.)-geh  better  rendered  as  a  Ifeart  divided  into  two  Hearts.  It 
is  Te-haw-e-ho-ge,  in  the  (Jnondaga  tongue.  It  may  allude  to 
this  division  and  sub-division. 

Page  12.  Kaw-na-taw-te-ruh.  or  Pineries,  is  the  same  as  Can- 
astota.  Morgan  calls  this  K.an-e-to-ta, /V//^'  Tree  standina;  a/one. 
I'he  Onondagas,  however,  termed  it  Can-os-ta.  the  Frame  of  a 
house,  from  the  first  frame  building  there,  which  they  greatly  ad- 
mired. 

Page  12.  Ne-haw-re  tah-go-wah  is  ///(,'  Tree  People.  L.  H. 
Morgan  said  they  had  this  name  from  attending  a  treaty  at  Bos- 
ton. This  was  in  1723.  At  another  treaty  with  Massachusetts 
in  1794,  Rode,  a  Mohawk  chief,  led  the  envoys  of  the  Five  Na- 
tions, and  they  entered   Albany,  two  in  a  rank  and  singing. 

At  this  time  the  Lieutenant-Governor  of  Massachusetts 
l)romised  them  a  hundred  pounds  for  every  scalj)  or  captive. 
In  the  Hiawatha  story,  however,  the  travelers  found  some  Onei- 
das  sitting  under  a  tree,  which  they  had  partially  burned  off.  So 
he  sai  i,  "  These  shall  be  called  Ne-ah-te-en-tah-go-nah,  or  Big 
Tree.''''  In  another  place  a  party  was  lying  on  and  playing  around 
a  great  stone,  and  he  called  them  0-ne-o-ta-aug,  or  People  of  the 
Stone. 

Mr.  Horatio  Hale  gives  the  tree  story  a  little  differently, 
though  he  thinks  it  modern.  Hiawatha  and  his  companion 
"  crossed  the  Oneida  creek  on  a  bridge  composed  of  an  immense 
tree  which  had  fallen  or  been  laid  across  it,  and  noted  that  the 


5^>  NO  Its  ON  clisick's  six  nations. 

council    fire,  at    which   the    treaty  was   coucUuled,  was   kindled 
aganist  another  huge  log." 

The  stone,  however,  is  the  prominent  emblem  of  the  Oneidas, 
and  there  have  been  several  Oneida  Stones.  One  from  Stock- 
bridge  has  been  placed  near  the  entrance  of  a  cemetery  in  Utica. 
I  think  the  oldest  stationary  stone  of  this  kind  is  at  an  early  site 
at  Nichol's  Pond,  in  Madison  county,  thought  to  be  the  fort  at- 
tacked by  Cliamplain  in  1615.  'i'his  is  a  liniestone  bowlder, 
about  twelve  feet  long,  in  the  midst  of  the  village.  The  town 
belongs  to  the  Oneida  system,  rather  than  the  Onondaga. 

In  an  account  of  a  visit  to  the  Oneidas  in  1796,  in  Vol.  5  of 
the  Mass.  Hist.  Society  Collections,  an  ii.teiview  with  a  pagan 
Oneida  chief  is  described.  "  He  regarded  the  Oneida  Stone  as  a 
proper  emblem  or  representative  of  the  divinity  whom  he  wor- 
shipped. This  stone  we  saw.  It  is  of  a  rude,  unwrought  shape, 
rather  inclining  to  cylindrical,  and  of  more  than  a  hundred 
pounds  weight.  It  bears  no  resemblance  to  any  of  the  stones 
which  are  found  in  that  country.  From  whence  it  was  originally 
brought,  no  one  can  tell.  The  tradition  is  that  it  follows  the 
nation  in  their  removals.  From  it  the  nation  is  derived,  for  Onei- 
da signifies  the  upright  stone.  When  it  was  set  up  in  the  crotch 
of  a  tree,  the  people  were  sui)posed  inviiicihlc.  It  is  now  placed 
in  an  u})right  position  on  the  earth,  at  tiie  door  of  the  man's 
house.  A  stout  man  can  cany  this  stone  about  forty  or  fifty 
rods  without  resting  ;  and  this  is  the  manner  in  which  it  may  be 
said  (with  the  help  of  a  little  priest ci aft)  Xofolhw  them  on  their 
removals."  Some  of  the  remaining  Oneidas  say  that  this  stone 
was  carried  west  by  those  who  went  to  Wisconsin. 

Page  12.  The  council  name  of  the  Onondagas,  in  their  lan- 
guage, is  more  exactly  Seuh-no  keh-te.  Bearing  the  Names.  In 
Conrad  Weiser's  journal,  where  the  name  is  sometimes  applied  to 
the  town,  they  are  called  Sa-go-sa-an-a-gech-they,  which  means 
bearing  names  on  their  shoulders,  but  as  though  quite  exhausted, 
or  almost  dead.     A  dififerent  application  of  this  name  will  be 


NOTBS    ON    CUSICK's    SIX    NATIONS.  57 

found  in  the  Relation  of  1655-6,  when  Father  Chaumonot  at- 
tended a  council  at  Onondaga,  November  7,  1655.  "  It  was  told 
the  French  in  this  assembly,  first,  that  Agochiendaguete,  who  is 
the  great  king  of  all  the  country,  andOnnontio  were  equally  firm 
and  constant  in  theii  decisions."  J.  R.  G.  Shea  tliought  this  the 
early  title  of  the  Atotarho.  Father  Chaumonot  was  adopted 
afterwards  by  Sagcchiendagnete,  the  head  chief,  and  in  this  case 
the  council  name  of  the  Onondaga  nation  was  applied  to  its 
greatest  man,  for  it  seems  the  same.  The  ordinary  name  of  the 
Onondagas  means  J'eoplc  of  the  Nvuntain^  but  another  name  ap- 
l)cars  in  our  Hiawatha  story.  He  found  some  Onondagas  play- 
ing ball,  and  said  they  should  be  known  by  this  name.  Morgan 
aiul  Hale  both  s|jeak  of  a  IJall  clan  among  the  Onondagas,  but 
intelligent  IriJijuois,  both  in  New  York  and  Canada,  deny  its  ex- 
istence. On  the  Onondaga  reservation  in  New  York,  however, 
the  Small  (shining)  Turtle  clan  often  style  themselves  the  Ball 
peo|)le.  They  distinguish  themselves  from  the  Turtle  clan,  some- 
times saying  that  they  are  related,  and  sometimes  that  they  are 
not.  Most  of  the  clans  are  inclined  to  similar  divisions.  Char- 
levoix observed  that  the  Irocjuois  divided  the  Tortoise  family  into 
two  branches,  the  great  and  little  turtle,  and  Hale  notes  the  same. 

There  is  a  j)eculiarity  in  the  present  pronunciation  of  Onon- 
daga by  the  Indians.  Among  themselves  the  broad  sound  is 
given  to  a  in  the  third  syllable,  as  though  written  //<///,  but  in 
talking  with  the  whites  they  as  invariably  use  the  long  sound,  as 
in  day.  , 

Page  12.  The  Cayugas  have  their  common  name  from  their 
lake,  and  I).  Cusick's  name  for  this  is  much  like  that  of  the 
French  missionaries.  The  meaning  is  differently  rendered.  D. 
Cusick  makes  it  Go-yo-goh,  Mountain  rising  from  water.  Albert 
Cusick,  Kwe-u-kwe,  where  they  drew  their  boats  ashore  :  L.  H. 
Morgan,  Gwe-u-gweh,  At  the  mucky  laud.  All  seem  to  refer  to 
the  higher  and  firm  land  beyond  the  Montezuma  marshes.  The 
council  name  varies  in  the  dialects,  the  Onondagas  terming  them 


5^  NOTES   ON    CUSICKS    SIX    NATIONS. 

Soh-ne-na-we-too-na,    Great  Pipe.     A  pipe   was    their    symbol. 

Page  12.  All  seem  to  agree  in  placing  the  early  traditional 
location  of  the  Senecas  at  Fort  Hill,  in  Nai)les,  and  south  of  Can- 
andaigua  lake,  but  this  is  somewhat  confused  with  the  ancient 
work  on  Bare  Hill  in  Middlesex,  and  east  of  the  lake.  The  Sen- 
ecas may  have  been  the  earliest  of  the  Iroquois  living  south  of 
Lake  Ontario.  They  and  the  Cayugas  were  probably  kindred, 
and  their  early  relics  differ  much  from  those  of  the  three  nations 
further  east.  Albert  Cusick  thought  that  Jen-ne-a-to-wa-ke,  some- 
times abbreviated  to  To-na-kah,  was  a  name  for  the  Senecas, 
People  of  many  hills.  Their  council  name  xw^^lXx's.,  Possessing  a 
door,  and  is  Ho-neen-ho-hone-tah  in  Onondaga.  Morgan  gives 
it  as  Ho-nan-ne-ho-ont. 

The  name  Seneca  appears  on  Dutch  maps  of  1614  and  1616, 
and  has  been  thought  an  Algonquin  term  for  eaters  of  flesh,  or 
cannibals.  The  eastern  Indians  gave  the  Mohawks  a  name  with 
the  same  meaning,  and  none  of  the  Five  Nations  were  averse  to 
human  flesh.  Instances  will  be  given  elsewhere.  In  1643,  Roger 
Williams  said  that  "The  Mauguauogs,  or  men  eateis,  that  live 
three  or  four  hundred  miies  west  from  us,  make  a  delicious, 
monstrous  dish  of  the  heads  and  brains  of  their  enemies."  The 
Dutch  knew  the  Five  Nations  only  as  Mohawks  and  Senecas. 

Page  13.  Kau-ha-gwa-rah-ka  is  literally  a  Cap^  though  Erie 
itself  means  a  Cat;  as  the  missionaries  thought  from  the  abund- 
ance of  wild  cats  there. 

Page  13.  In  Onondaga  the  Mississippi  is  Kah-nah-we-yo-ka, 
with  Cusick's  meaning.    • 

Page  13.  The  Tuscaroras  are  the  Shirt-ii^earing people.  The 
Onondagas  call  them  Tus  ki-e-a,  and  they  term  themselves 
Skau-ro-ra,  Hearing  a  !^hirt.  In  council  they  are  sometimes 
called  Tu-hah-te-chn-yah  wah-kou,  1  hose  who  hold  .or  embrace 
the  ^reat  tree.  1  hey  occupy  a  i)lace  in  the  confederacy  now 
much  like  that  of  our  territories,  not  being  considered  part  of  the 
Long  House  in  the  highest  sense.     Daniel  La  Fort  said  to  me, 


ac:  -  NOTES    ON    (JUSICK  S    SIX    NATIONS.  59 

"It  is  the  same  as  though  1  built  a  wood-shed  on  the  back  of 
my  house,  which  seems  to  be  part  of  it,  and  yet  is  not.'' 

Page  13.  The  name  of  the  confederacy  is  here  misspelled, 
being  intended  for  Goo-nea-seah  neh,  a  Long  House ^  equivalent 
to  the  Onondaga  Ko-no-si-o-ni. 

Page  14.  The  word  squash  is  from  the  Indian  Askutasquash. 
in  1656,  Van  der  Donck  wrote  that  the  New  York  Indians  ''say 
that  their  corn  and  beans  were  received  from  the  southern  In- 
dians, who  received  their  seed  from  a  people  who  resided  still 
further  south.  *  *  Our  Indians  say  that  they  did  eat 
roots  and  the  bark  of  trees  instead  of  bread,  before  the  intro- 
duction of  Indian  corn,  or  maize.  *  *  Before  the  arrival 
of  ihe  Nethei  landers,  the  Indians  raised  beans  of  various  kinds 
and  colors,  but  generally  too  coarse  to  be  eaten  green,  or  to  be 
j)ickled,  except  the  blue  sort,  which  are  abundant.''  Beans  are 
now  used  in  Indian  corn  bread.  Roger  Williams  said  of  the  New 
England  Indians,  "The  crow  brought  them  at  first  an  Indian 
grain  of  corne  in  one  eare,  and  an  Indian  or  French  beane  in 
another,  from  the  great  (iod,  Kauiantouwit's  field  in  the  south- 
west, from  whence  they  hold  came  all  their  corne  and  beanes." 

hoskiel  says  of  Indian  corn,  "  That  cultivated  by  the  Iroquois 
is  a  variety  different  from  that  planted  by  the  Delawares  on  the 
river  Muskingum.  The  former  ripens  sooner  than  the  latter, 
which  probably  would  never  npen  in  a  colder  chmate.         *         * 

rhe  Delawares  and  Iroquois  dress  their  corn  in  twelve  different 
ways.        *         *        They  have  four  (fifferent  sorts  of  i)umpkins." 

The  Onondagas  still  raise  their  own  variety  of  soft  wliite  corn. 

There  are  many  traditions  that  all  Indians  originally  ate  the 
bark  of  trees,  and  the  name  of  the  Adirondacks  directly  refers 
to  this.     In  Onondaga  the  word  Ha-te-en-tox  means  Tree-eaters. 

The  Iroquois  cultivated  a  knul  of  sunflower,  making  an  oil  from 
the  seeds,  and  Charlevoix  says  they  had  the  common  and  water 
melon  before  the  whites  came.  Although  they  made  maple 
molasses,  he  says  "It  is  certain  they  were  ignorant  of  the  art  of 


6o  NOTES   ON    CUSICK's    SIX    NATIONS. 

making  a  sugar  from  it,  which  we  have  since  learnt  them." 

Page  14.  The  legends  of  the  Flying  Heads  seem  all  Tusca- 
rora,  though  the  scene  of  this  story  is  at  Onondaga,  where  they 
are  called  Ro-nea-rau-yeh-ne.  Mrs.  Smith  published  other  tales 
of  these. 

Page  14.  This  description  of  fort  building  is  good,  but  there 
were  often  more  gates.  Occasionally  earthworks  and  stockades 
may  have  been  made  as  here  related,  but  it  is  quite  probable  that 
the  earthwork  was  often  used  simply  as  a  support  for  the  cross 
palisades,  as  logs  were  in  the  following  account  by  Van  der  Donck: 
"  First,  they  lay  along  on  the  ground  large  logs  of  wood,  and  fre- 
quently smaller  logs  upon  the  lower  logs,  which  serve  for  a  foun- 
dation of  the  work.  Then  they  place  strong  oaken  palisades  in 
the  ground  on  both  sides  of  the  foundation,  the  upper  ends  of 
which  cross  each  other,  and  are  joined  together.  In  the  upper 
crossing  of  the  palisades  they  then  i)lace  the  bodies  of  trees, 
>vhich  makes  the  works  strong  and  tirm." 

Some  forts  in  the  eastern  part  of  New  York  were  made  on 
steep  hills,  and  with  but  one  entrance.  Heavy  timbers  were  set 
in  the  ground,  with  oak  palisades  on  both  sides,  set  crosswise  to 
each  other.  Other  timbers  are  joined  between  these  cross-trees, 
and  an  observation  tree  was  left  in  the  middle  of  the  fort. 

Instead  of  this  supporting  wall,  a  row  of  pickets  was  some- 
times set  in  the  ground,  sujjjjorted  by  cross  trees  which  merely 
rested  on  the  ground.  In  the  fort  of  16 15,  described  by  Cham- 
plain  as  a  quadruple  palisade  of  unusual  character,  there  seem  to 
have  been  two  interlacing  sets  of  cross  palisades,  without  |)ost- 
holes.  Some  earthworks  are  of  the  historic  period,  and  some 
stockades  are  of  early  date.  They  were  often  made  after  a 
town  had  been  settled  for  some  time,  which  is  shown  by  pottery 
which  I  have  found  in  banks,  and  in  the  bottoms  of  post-holes. 
Purely  Iroquois  stockades  were  usually  angular,  at  least  among 
the  western  nations.     Plain  traces  of  some  still  remain. 

Page  14.     The  Indians  yet  make  bows  and  arrows  with  very 


NOTES    ON    CUSICK's    SIX   NATIONS.  6 1 

simple  tools,  and  probably  always  did.  Arrows  are  straightened 
by  the  hand,  and  commonly  have  an  expanded  and  blunt  head. 
In  Iroquois  forts  the  flint  arrow  heads  are  mostly  of  a  long  tri- 
angular form,  and  the  later  flat  copper  arrows  have  the  same  out- 
line. The  grooved  bowlders,  in  use  from  A.  D.  1600  to  1630, 
are  supposed  to  have  been  employed  in  straightening  and  round- 
ing arrows  and  other  wooden  implements.  Several  grooves  may 
appear  in  the  same  stone,  and  they  are  very  uniform  in  width 
and  depth.  Cusick  takes  no  notice  of  the  snow  snake  here. 
There  are  two  patterns  of  this,  the  Seneca  being  much  more 
angular  than  the  Onondaga.  At  present  the  head  is  loaded  with 
lead,  and  the  whole  appearance  is  very  snaky  when  the  long  and 
slender  stick  is  thrown  across  the  snow. 

Page  15.  Earthenware  is  almost  a  characteristic  of  Iroquois 
sites,  and  some  of  the  Mohawk  and  Onondaga  vessels,  from  A.  D. 
1600  to  1640,  are  of  a  peculiar  type,  having  raised  human  faces 
or  forms  on  the  angles.  These  have  not  been  found  elsewhere, 
tliough  the  first  idea  has.  One  feature  of  these  raised  figures, 
the  limbs,  I  have  known  as  a  rarity  in  Canada.  The  Iroquois 
l)referred  bone  or  horn  to  stone,  and  had  no  flint  scrapers  or 
drills. 

Page  15.  The  Stonish  Giants  suggest  wandering  parties  of 
mail-clad  Euroj)eans.  The  name  given  is  Oneida  ;  m  Onondaga 
it  is  Oot-neyah-hah.  'J'he  present  Onondagas  say  that  a  Stone 
Oiant  lived  near  Cardift",  N.  Y.,  who  was  once  like  other  men. 
but  he  ate  much,  became  a  cannibal,  and  increased  in  size.  His 
skin  turned  into  hard  scales.  Eveiy  day  he  came,  caught  and 
devoured  an  Onondaga,  and  the  peojjle  were  dismayed.  At  last 
they  made  a  road  through  the  niarsl;.  with  a  covered  pit-fall,  and 
induced  the  giant  to  run  along  the  path.  He  was  destroyed  and 
they  were  left  in  peace.  When  the  "  Cardiff"  Giant"  was  exhumed, 
the  Indians  were  much  excited,  believing  it  was  this  stony  man. 

Page  16.  Serpents  appear  in  many  legends,  but  in  one  two 
threat   mosquitoes  obstruct   communication  between   Onondaga 


02  NOTES   ON    CUSICK's    SIX    NATIONS. 

and    Cayuga,    but     are    finally     destroyed     by    the     Indians. 

Page  i6.  In  the  Onondaga  story  of  Hiawatha,  told  to  J.  V. 
H.  Clark,  Atotarho  does  not  appear  at  all.  In  the  one  related 
to  Horatio  Hale,  he  is  a  consi)icuous  figure.  About  A.  D.  1700, 
.\totarho  seems  to  have  been  sometimes  kno.vn  as  Aqueendero. 
1 ).  Cusick  never  mentions  Hiawatha,  and  the  stories  of  him  may 
be  local  and  modern.  In  his  "  Frontenac,"  A.  B.  Street  notes 
tliat  the  bird  which  kille;l  Hiawatha's  daughter  was  called  Sah- 
dah-ga-ah  in  Seneca,  and  Hah-googhs  in  Onondaga.  He  adds 
that  it  "  was  supposed  by  the  Iroquois  to  have  been  sent  by 
Hawenneyo  to  tell  Hahyohwonthah  that  his  mission  being  ac- 
complished, he  must  return  to  the  happy  hunting  grounds."  This 
bird  of  the  clou  is  is  the  larg;'  winter  gull,  called  Hah-kooks  by 
the  Onondagas,  and  supposed  by  them  never  to  light.  It  is  un- 
lucky to  shoot  at  it.  Clark  thought  it  the  white  heron,  and  Hale 
nie.itions  it  merely  as  a  strange  bird,  which  one  ot  Atotarho's 
warriors  shot. 

Page  17.  Strictly  speaking  the  Iroquois  had  little  or  no 
wampum  until  the  Dutch  came.  O.i  early  town  sites,  in  their 
territory,  shell  beads  are  either  very  rare,  or  entirely  lacking, 
while  on  the  later  they  are  abundant.  L.  H.  Morgan  said  they 
use;l  fresh  water  shell  beads,  of  a  spiral  form,  until  they  had  ma- 
rine shells  from  the  Dutch,  but  none  have  been  found.  Loskiel 
states  that  short  colore.l  sticks  were  use.l  until  the  whites  came, 
which  is  probable.  Sticks  were  occasionally  employed  much  later. 
Sir  Wliliam  Johnson  wrote  to  Arthur  Lee,  in  177 1,  "As  to  the 
information  which  you  observe  I  formerly  transmitted  to  the  Gov. 
of  New  York,  concerning  the  belt  and  fifteen  bloody  sticks  sent 
by  the  Mississages,  the  like  is  very  common,  and  the  Indians 
useJ  sticks  as  well  to  express  the  alliance  of  castles,  as  the  num- 
ber of  individuals  in  a  party.  These  sticks  are  generally  about 
6  inches  in  length,  and  very  slender,  and  painted  red  if  the  sub- 
ject is  war,  but  without  any  peculiarity  as  to  shape.  Their  belts 
are  mostly  black  wampum,  painted  red  when  they  denote  war; 


NOTES    ON    CUSICK's    SIX    NATIONS.  63 

they  describe  castles  sometimes  upon  them  as  square  figures  of 
white  wampum,  and  in  alHances  human  figures  holding  a  chain 
of  friendship ;  each  figure  represents  a  nation.  An  axe  is  also 
sometimes  described,  which  is  always  an  emblem  of  war." 

Among  the  Onondagas  the  official  title  of  the  "  Holder  of  the 
Wampum.''  is  Hotchu-sta-no-na.  White  wampum  had  a  better 
meaning  than  the  black,  but  was  of  less  value.  Both  kinds  are 
used  in  all  councils  and  feasts,  but  all  is  of  modern  manufacture. 
'I'here  are  proper  strings  for  each  part  of  a  ceremony,  for  every 
person  addressed,  and  for  the  call  of  a  council.  It  was  long  a 
legal  tender  in  the  colony  of  New  York,  and  had  a  fixed  value  in 
cases  of  manslaughter,  l.oskiel  says,  "For  the  murder  of  a  man 
one  hundred  yards  of  wami)um,  and  for  that  of  a  woman  two 
hundred  yards  must  be  |)aid  by  the  murderer."  Later  writers 
make  this  much  less,  but  it  is  curious  that  the  woman's  life  is 
double  that  of  the  man's  in  value. 

Loskiel  says,  ••  Before  the  Kuropeans  came  to  North  .\merica 
the  Indians  used  to  make  their  strings  of  wampum  chiefly  of 
small  pieces  of  wood  of  equal  size,  stained  with  black  or  white. 
Few  were  made  of  muscles,  which  was  esteemed  very  valuable 
and  difficult  to  make  ;  for,  not  having  proper  tools,  they  spent 
much  time  in  finishing  them,  and  yet  their  work  had  a  clumsy  ap 
pearance.  But  the  Europeans  soon  cohtmued  to  make  strings  of 
wampum,  both  neat  and  elegant,  and  in  abundance.  These  they 
bartered  with  the  Indians  for  other  goods,  and  found  tiiis  traffii 
very  advantageous.  The  Indians  immediately  gave  up  the  use 
of  the  old  wooden  substitute  for  «ampum,  and  procured  tho?e 
made  of  muscles,  which,  though  lallen  in  i)rice,  were  always  con 
sidered  valuable."  It  will  thus  be  seen  that  j^hell  wam])um  was 
simply  a  new  inatenal  adapted  to  an  old  custom.  In  1714  the 
Five  Nations  gave  some  sticks  instead  of  wampum,  but  replaced 
them  vvith  belts  tl;e  following  year. 

The  invention  of  wampum  is  often  ascribed  to  Hiawatha.     In 
two  stories  he  gathers  white  shells  from  a  lake,  and  goes  to  the 


64  NOTES    ON    CUSICKS    SiX    NATIONS. 

Mohawk  castle  adorned  with  these.     The  story  told  me  is  a  vari- 
ant of  this.     He  builds  a  fire  near  the  Mohawk  town,  which  waj> 
rejjorted  to  the  chief,  who  sent  young  men  out  to  see  whetlier  it 
was   friend  or  foe.     They  crept    near,  and  looked  througii  the 
bushes.     Sitting  by  the  fire  they  saw  an  old  man  stringing  short 
eagle  quills.     He  did  not  look  up,  and  they  went  back  and  made 
their  report.     They  were  sent  to  invite  the  old  man  to  a  council, 
but  he  neither  looked  up  nor  answered,  stringing  the  cjuills  as 
before.      ''hey  repeated   the  chiefs  words,  and  when  they  spoke 
The   thii      time  he  raised   his   head,   and   held   u])  a  string   of 
quills,  s?yi'  /,  "When  your  chief  wants  me  at  a  council,  he  must 
send  nie  a  stnng  like  this."     The  quills  were  those  o<  the  wam- 
pum bird,  which  soars  very   high  and  is  rarely  seen,  but  which 
Hiawatha  could  call  down.     The   Mohawk   <:hief  had   none  of 
these,  and  sent  a  string  of  partridge   quills  instead.     Hiawatha 
came,  and  first  of  all  showed  them  how  to  make  and  use  wam- 
pum, and  then  proposed  the  league.     D.  Cusick  does  not  men- 
tion wampum  before  the  confederacy.     I'he  existing  belts,  now 
or  recently  at  Onondaga,  seem  to  be  all  very  recent.     It  does  not 
seem  probable  that   a  single  belt  was   left  when   the  Onondaga 
towns  were  pillaged  in  1779.      I  have  carefully  examined   all  the 
Onondaga  belts  at  various  times,  and  all  are  of  white  men's  beads, 
and  often  strings  and   threads.     Some    have    buckskin   thongs. 
General  Carrington,  in  1891,  secured  the  Covenant  Belt  with  the 
United  States,  and  another  of  interest,  for  the  government.  The 
Covenant  Belt  had  men  holding  hands,  but  the  chevron  appears 
on  some  of  the  wider  belts.     'Ihe  widest  is  forty-nine  beads,  an 
unusual  width  ;  and  one  contains  over  12.000  shell  beads. 

Page  17.  According  to  Pyrtaeus,  "The  alliance  having  been 
first  proposed  by  a  Mohawk  chief,  the  Mohawks  rank  in  the  family 
as  the  f/(/cs/  brother^  the  Oneidas  as  the  eldest  son  ;  the  Senecas 
who  were  the  last  at  that  consented  to  the  alliance,  were  called 
the  youngest  son ;  but  the  Tuscaroras,  who  joined  the  confed- 
eracy  probably  a  hundred  years  afterwards,  assumed  that  name. 


NOTES    ON    CUSICKS    SIX    NATIONS.  65 

and  the  Senecas  ranked  in  precedence  before  them,  as  being  the 
next  youngest  ?>ov\,  or  as  we  would  say,  the  youngest  son  but  one." 

In  1643,  the  Jesuits  said  there  were  two  sorts  of  Iroquois. 
Those  nearest  the  HuronS'  were  the  Santoueronons,  the  other 
Agneronons,  They  were  sometimes  called  Superior  and  In-, 
ferior  Iroquois.  The  Dutch  recognized  only  Mohawks  and  Sen- 
ecas. In  the  Relation  of  1641,  it  is  said  that  by  the  name  of 
Iroquois  the  French  intended  six  nations,  enemies  of  the  Hurons, 
Algonquins,  Montagnais,  etc.  Perhaps  the  Eries  were  intended 
by  the  sixth  nation.  In  1648  they  were  distinguished  as  the  Five 
Nations.     The  Hurons  called  them  Hotinnonchiendi. 

The  relative  rank  and  privileges  of  the  nations  have  been 
differently  described.  In  the  relation  of  1645-6,  it  is  said, 
"Oneida  is  a  tribe,  the  greater  number  ot  whom  were  destroyed 
in  war  by  the  Upper  Algonquins.  To  recover  itself,  it  was  there- 
fore constrained  to  call  in  the  Mohawks.  Whence  it  comes  that 
the  Mohawks  call  the  Oneicias  "  their  daughters." 

At  a  council  in  1755,  Hendrick  said  "  I  will  therefore  acquaint, 
you  with  the  method  which  has  always  been  observed  by  our  fore- 
fathers on  these  occasions.  The  Mohawks,  the  Onondagas,  and 
the  Senecas  being  the  Elder  Brothers  of  the  confederacy,  the 
s|)eaker  at  all  public  times  was  chosen  out  of  one  or  other  of 
tliese  nations,  nor  was  any  preference  given  to  either  of  the 
three."  The  Onondaga  Kaghswughtioni,  or  Red  Head,  was  ac- 
cordingly chosen.  Oneida  speakers  sometimes  appear,  but  may 
have  been  borrowed,  as  occasionally  happened. 

Charlevoix  says  that  "  The  name  of  Iroquois  is  purely  French, 
and  has  been  formed  from  the  term  /liro,  "  1  have  spoken,'  a  word 
by  which  these  Indians  close  all  their  speeches,  and  Koue,  which, 
when  long  drawn  out,  is  a  cry  of  sorrow,  and  when  briefly  uttered, 
is  an  exclamation  of  joy."  Mr.  Horatio  Hale  properly  objects 
that  they  had  this  name  when  Champlain  came,  and  it  appears 
on  maps  as  Irocoisia.  a  little  later.  He  would  derive  it  from 
^aroku'tj,  a  pipe,  or  the  indeterminate  vefb  ierokwa,  to  smoke 


■fCr, 


66  NOTKS    ON    CLSICK-'s    SIX    NArU)NS. 

He  suggests  also  the  woid  ohvari,  a  bear.     The  first  conjecture 
seems  best. 

Page  17.  Not  long  since  Thomas  Webster,  Onondaga  keeper 
of  wampum,  a))peared  before  a  committee  of  the  legislature,  and 
.said  that  this  wampum  "means  nothing  to  white  man,  all  to  In- 
dian." If  the  former  were  told,  he  could  not  understand  it,  but 
I  have  had  many  strings  explained  to  me.  and  know  the  use  of 
those  I  have  in  calling  councils  and  raising  chiefs.  Webster  gave 
the  tradition:  "There  is  a  tree  set  in  the  ground,  and  it  touches 
the  heavens.  Under  that  tree  sils  this  wanii)um.  It  sits  on  a 
log.  Coals  of  fire  (council  fire)  is  un(pienchal)le,  and  the  Six 
Nations  are  at  the  council  fire  held  by  the  tribe.  To-do-da  ho, 
a  member  of  the  Bear  clan,  is  the  great  chief  here.  He  has  a 
descendant  in  our  tribe  to-day.  His  name  is  Fiank  Logan.  One 
of  the  uses  of  wampum  is  for  a  symbol  in  the  election  of  officers. 
The  wampum  bearer  keeps  the  treaties  of  the  nation."  Frank 
Logan  is  an  Eel,  the  descendant  of  a  Cherokee. 

Page  17.  The  election  of  the  Senators,  or  principal  chiefs 
annually,  is  a  singular  statement  of  Cusick's.  After  the  number 
of  chiefs  attending  the  first  meeting  the  number  of  what  might 
be  called  hereditary  princij^al  chiefs  is  usually  stated  to  be  fifty, 
j)erpetuating  the  names  of  the  founders.  That  other  names  were 
added  to  these  as  the  power  of  the  nations  grew,  or  droj^ped 
when  numbers  diminished,  is  certain.  These  alone  remained 
through  every  change.  The  original  number  in  attendance  de- 
pended on  distance,  or  interest  in  theprojjosed  league. 

The  TuKcarora  principal  chiefs  sat  in  the  Grand  Council  much 
as  territorial  delegates  sit  in  the  L'nited  States  Congress.  Every 
nation  had  its  council  house,  and  in  1743  Bartram  gave  a  plan 
and  description  of  the  one  at  Onondaga.  It  was  eighty  feet  long 
by  seventeen  wide,  having  a  central  passage  of  six  feet  between 
the  seats.  Morgan  describes  this  as  though  it  were  a  common 
house.       .     ■  .  . 

In  one  Hiawatha  srory  he  tells  the  assembly,  '•  If  you   bring 


NOTES    ON    CUSICKS    SIX    NATIONS.  67 

an  enemy  into  the  Lonj^  House,  you  will  throw  his  head  to  the 
western  gate,  and  they  will  burn  his  hair  in  the  fire."  So  the  last 
hut  one  of  the  Seneca  chiefs  is  called  "They  burned  their  hair." 
Lists  of  the  fifty  principal  chiefs  of  the  Five  Nations  have  been 
published  by  Mr.  L.  H.  Morgan  in  his  "  League  of  the  Iroquois." 
and  Mr.  H.  Hale  in  the  •' Iroquois  Book  of  Rites."  The  former 
is  from  Seneca  sources,  and  the  latter  cnibiaces  both  the  Mo- 
hawk and  Onondaga  dialects,  as  written  by  native  Iroquois.  I 
carefully  went  thi(.iigh  the  list  with  Albert  Cusick,  and  took  them 
down  in  \hc  Onondaga  tongue,  as  given  below.  He  supplied 
some  meanings,  and  diffcied  fiom  Messrs.  Morgan  and  Hale  in  a 
^ery  few.  'I  he  M(  hawk  sachems  were  nine,  and  of  these  Te-ki- 
e  I.o-ktn  !-tar.ds  f,ist  as  the  founder  of  the  league.  The  mean- 
ing is  "  Two  voices,"  but  Moigan  makes  it  "Neutral,  or  the 
Shield."     This  name  Cusick  api)lies  to  the  nation. 

Hi-e-wal-ha,  made  famous  by  Longfellow,  comes  next.  The 
two  wi iters  mentioned  difler  in  its  signification,  the  one  render- 
ing it  "He  who  combs,"  and  the  other  "He  who  seeks  the  wam- 
pum belt."  Albert  Cusick  differed  from  both,  making  it  "  One 
who  looks  for  his  mind,  \\hich  he  has  lost,  but  knows  where  to 
find  it. '  This  suggests  the  persistence  of  jiurpose  which  Mr.  Hale 
ascribes  to  him. 

Shat-e-ki-e-wat-he  is  "Two  stories  in  one;"  i.  e.,  the  same 
story  ficm  two  ]  ersons.  This  is  essentially  the  same  as  Mr. 
Hale's  "  Two  equal  statements." 

Sah  e-ho-na,  "  He  is  a  tree  with  large  branches." 

Te-yon-ha-kwen,  "That  which  we  live  on." 

0-weh-he-go-na,  "Large  tlcwer." 

Te-hah-nah-gai-eh-ne.  "Two  horns  lying  down." 

Ha-stah-wen-sent-hah,  "Holding  the  rattles." 

Sau-te-gai-e-wat-ha,  "Plenty  of  large  limbs  en  a  tree." 

The  Oneida  principal  chiefs  come  next,  and  some  of  these  may 
be  seen  in  early  treaties. 

Tat-sheh-ie,  or  O-tat-sheh-te.   "  Bearing  a  quiver." 


CH  NOTES    ON    CUSICK's    SIX    NATIONS. 

Ga-no-gwen-u-ton,  "Setting  up  ears  of  corn  in  a  row." 

Ty-o-ha-gwente,  "Open  voice." 

Sho-non-ses,  "  His  long  house." 

To-na  oh-ge-na,  "Two  branches  of  water." 

Hat-ya-ton-nent  ha,  "  He  .swallows  hisown  body  from  the  foot." 

Te-ha-tah-on-ten-yonk,  "Two  hanging  ears." 

Ha-nea-tok-hae-yea,  "  Throat  lying  down." 

Ho-way-ha-tah-koo,  "They  disinter  him." 

The  QioiHlaga  principal  chiefs  follow: 

Tah-toota-hoo,  "Entangled."  Formerly  of  the  Bear  clan, 
now  of  the  P>el. 

Ho-ne-sa-ha.  The  only  meaning  assigned  to  this  is  "The  best 
soil  uppermost,"  and  this  doubtfully. 

Te-hat-ka-tons,  "  Looking  all  over." 

O-ya-ta-je-wak,  "Bitter  in  the  throat." 

Ah-we-ke-yat,  "  End  of  the  water." 

Te-hah-yut-kwa-ye,  "Red  on  the  wing.'* 

Ho-no-we-eh-to,  "  He  has  disapi)eared." 

Ga-wen-ne-sen-ton,  "  Her  voice  scattered." 

Ha-he-ho,  "Spilling  now  and  then." 

Ho-neo-nea-ne,  "Something  was  made  for  him  and  laid  down 
before  him." 

Sah-de-gAva-se,  "  He  is  bruised." 

Sah-ko-ke-he,  "  He  may  see  them." 

Hoo-sah-ha-ho,  "  Wearing  a  weapon  in  his  belt." 

Ska-nah-wah-ti,  "Over  the  water." 

Te-ka-ha-hoonk,  •'  He  looks  both  ways." 

The  Cayuga  chiefs  are  next : 

Ta-ge-non-tah-we-yu,  "Coming  on  its  knees." 

Ka-ta-kwa-je,  "  It  was  bruised." 

So-yone-wes,  "  He  has  a  long  wampum  belt." 

Ta-ta-as-yon-e,  "  He  puts  one  on  another." 

To-wen-yon-go,  "  It  touches  the  sky." 

Jote-to-wa-ko.  "Cold  on  both  sides." 


NOTES   ON    CUSICKS    SIX   NATIONS.  69 

'ra-hah-wot-ho,  *'  Mossy  place." 

Too-tah-ht-ho,  ''Crowding  himself  in.'' 

l)e-kah-lie.  "Resting  on  it." 

Last  come  the  Seneca  chiefs  : 

Kan-ya-tai-yo,  •'  Heautiful  lake." 

Sat-te-kaa-yes,  "Skies  of  eciual  length." 

Sa-tea-na-vvat,  "He  holds  on  to  it." 

Sa-ken-jo-nah,  "  Large  forehead." 

Ga-noon-gai-e.  "  'I'hreatened." 

Nis-hi-nea-nent-hah,  "The  day  fell  down." 

Kah-none-ye-eh-tah-we,  "'I'hey  burned  their  hair." 

Ta-ho-ne-ho-gah-wen,  "  He  open  door." 

These  vary  considerably  from  both  Morgan  and  Hale's  lists,  in 
pronunciation,  but  I  carefully  took  them  down  in  Onondaga,  with 
botii  these  at  hand.  To  use  an  Onondaga  expression,  each  of 
these  has  a  war  chief  who  stands  behind  him. 

Chiefs  who  had  tiieir  office  sini[)ly  from  their  good  and  benev- 
olent deeds,  were  pine  trees  rooted  in  the  sky.  They  could  not  be 
removed,  and  had  seats  in  the  Grand  Council.  A  council  fire  was 
extinguished  at  tlie  death  of  a  chief,  and  business  could  not  be 
resumed  until  after  the  condolement.  A  case  of  this  kind  at  On- 
ondaga, at  the  commencement  of  the  Revolution,  perplexed  Mr. 
Stone,  in  wTiting  his  life  of  Brant.  The  ceremony  of  condolence 
varied  much,  but  had  j-ome  fixed  features. 

Page  17.  It  seems  a  i)rinci])al  among  the  Huron-Iro(}uois  that 
the  child  should  be  of  the  mother's  clan  and  nation.  This  now 
stands  in  the  way  of  a  division  of  land.  If  an  Onondaga  mar- 
ries an  Oneida  woman,  as  many  have  done,  the  children  are 
Oneidas,  and  have  no  claim  on  Ontjiulaga  lands. 

Page  17.  The  Squawkihows  (this  being  Cusick's  spelling,)  are 
supi)osed  to  have  been  the  Indians  Hving  at  Squakie  Hill,  among 
the  Senecas,  and  were,  perhaps  a  remna'it  of  the  Eries,  who  were 
overthrown  in  1654.  .Some  are  still  found  ua  Seneca  reservations. 

Page  18.     After  the  Hurons  were  overthrown  in  1649,  and  the    . 


7©  •  NOTRS   ON   CUSICK's    StX    NATIONS. 

Neutrals  and  Kiics  a  little  later,  the  way  was  open  to  the  Mes- 
sissaii^v-'is  farther  west.  After  a  time  these  began  to  appear  in 
history.  The  name  of  Twakanha  is  applied  to  all  western  In- 
dians Uy  the  Oiion{la<,'as.  The  Irocpi ois  attacked  the  Neutrals 
in  1650,  and  again  in  1651.  They  left  their  towns,  and  thous- 
ands perished.  I'he  Krie  war  i)egan  in  1654.  Twelve  hundred 
Irocpiois  warrior  went  in  canoes  on  l^ake  Krie,  which  would  place 
the  Kries  well  to  the  west.  They  fell  hack  and  collected  in  one 
tow. I,  using  pjisoned  arrows  with  fatal  effect.  The  Iroquois  at 
fi  'St  repulsed,  used  their  canoes  first  in  sliields,  then  as  scaling 
la  Idjis.  Tivj  (-arnage  was  dreadful,  and  the  Kries  ceased  to  ex- 
ist as  a  ia'i.>i.  'I'ne  Neutrals  called  the  nselves  Akouanke.  The 
Hurv)ns  termed  them  Attiwandaronk,  "  A  people  with  a  speech 
a  little  different."  Tneir  ])rincipal  Villa^ei  were  in  Canada,  but 
ihey  ha  1  three  in  New  York,  from  Buffalo  northward. 

Wiien  Brebeuf  and  Chaumonot  visited  the  Neutrals  in  1640, 
the  Niagara  was  called  O.iguiaahra,  a  id  a  village  had  the  same 
name.  The  fathers  said,  "  There  is  every  reason  for  believing 
that  not  long  since  the  Hurons,  Irocpiois  and  Neuter  nation 
formed  one  people." 

Ma-.ihall  thought  the  Kah  Kwahs  were  Neutrals.  On  Coro- 
nelli's  map.  1688,  a  village  was  located  near  Buffalo,  called  "Ka- 
k  )uagoga."'  a  dcstnjyed  nation.  Marshall  thought  the  Eries  far- 
ther to  the  southwest.  Father  L'Allemant,  1641,  wrote  from  the 
Huron  mission  of  Sainte  Marie.  He  speaks  of  the  Neutrals. 
"  From  their  first  village,  which  is  about  forty  leagues  southerly 
from  Sainte  Marie,  it  is  four  days"  travel,  in  a  southeasterly  di- 
rection, to  where  the  celebrated  river  of  the  Neuter  Nation  emp- 
ties into  Lake  Ontario.  On  the  west,  and  not  on  the  eastern 
side  of  said  river,  are  the  principal  villages  of  that  nation.  There 
are  three  or  four  on  the  eastern  side,  extending  from  east  to 
west  towards  the  Eries  or  Cat  Nation.  This  river  is  that  by  which 
our  great  lake  of  the  Hurons  is  discharged,  after  having  emptied 


NOIF.S    ON    l.irSICK's    SIX    NA  I  IONS.  7l 

into  I-ake  Kric,  or  Lake  of  the  Cat  Nation,  and  it  takes  the  name 
of  On  f^iii  aaii-ia  u  ilil  it  empties  into  Ontario  or  St.  Louis  Lake." 

Page  i8.  In  Om  ndaga  the  (ireat  Hear  is  O-yeah-kwa-ha,  or 
Kah-yah-kwah-ha. 

Page  18.  Qhiokea  is  "Plenty  of  fruit."  Skonyatates  lake 
may  be  the  one  of  this  name  on  the  west  side  of  Onondaga 
county,  but  is  more  jjrobabiy  one  of  the  small  lakes  of  Madison 
county,  called  Scaniadoris,  or  Long  lake,  in  an  early  treaty.  It 
is  probable  that  the  Tuscarora  town  Sganatees,  mentioned  by 
Zeisberger,  was  here.  The  Irotiuois  do  not  hesitate  to  bring  the 
lion  into  their  stories.  It  ai)pears  in  that  of  Okwencha,  or  Red 
Paint,  and  elsewhere. 

Page  18.  The  story  of  the  Great  Mosijuito,  Kah-ye-yah-ta 
ne-go-na,  "The  big  troublesome  fellow  that  likes  to  bite  often," 
varies  much.  Sometimes  there  are  two  of  these,  but  most  agree 
in  the  chase  and  its  results.  Until  recently  his  tracks,  and  those 
of  the  Holder  of  the  Heavens,  were  to  be  seen  near  Brighton, 
just  south  of  Syracuse,  being  often  renewed  by  the  Indians. 
Those  of  the  mosrjuito  were  b'rd-like.  twenty  inches  long,  and 
extended  twenty  rods.  He  was  killed  at  Centerville,  northeast 
of  Syracuse,  still  called  Kah-yah-tak-ne-t'ke-tah  keh,  -  ^Vhere  the 
mosquito  lies."  The  Tuscaroras  point  out  a  curious  stone  on 
their  reservation,  where  the  Holder  of  the  Heavens  lay  down  to 
rest  and  smoke,  during  the  pursuits.  It  has  a  depression  where 
he  reclined,  and  a  hollow  made  by  his  arm  in  rising,  and  a  hole 
burned  where  he  emptied  his  i)ipe. 

One  Onondaga  story  told  of  two  of  these  monsters,  dwelling 
on  the  Seneca  river  above  Cross  lake,  and  another  placed  them 
at  Montezuma,  where  the  combined  forces  of  the  Onondagas  and 
Cayugas  destroyed  them. 

Page  18.  Travelers  often  yet  inquire  whether  the  waters  of 
Onondaga  lake  are  salt.  When  Vanderkamp  made  his  journey 
through  Oneida  lake  and  river,  in  1792,  he  said,  *•  F.verywhere 
are  salt  springs,  and  but  a  few  miles  from  Oneyda  lake,  in  Onon- 


72  NOTES    ON    CUSICKS    SIX    NATIONS. 

daga,  is  a  copious  salt  lake,  encircled  with  salt  springs."  So  short 
had  been  the  sojourn  of  the  Unondagas  in  the  vicinity,  that  they 
thought  a  bad  si)irit  inhabited  the  springs  at  the  time  Le  Moyne 
visited  them.  August  i6,  1654. 

Page  19.     In  Onondaga  Big  Neck's  name  is  So-neah-too-nah, 
and  this  i^  a])i)lied  to  Oxford,  called  by  Morgan,  So-de-ah-lo-wa- 
nake,  or  "Thick-necked  Giant."    There  was  an  earthwork  there, 
and  the  other,  mentioned  by  Cusick,  on  the  south  bank  of  the 
Susquehanna,  would  be  that  at  Sidney  Plains.     A  line  is  evidently 
left  out.     After  "  Soh-nou-re-wah,  i.  e.,  Big  Neck,"  it  probably 
should  read  that  he  committed  depredations  on  the  Shawnees. 
Shawnee   means  south.     Some  of  them  were  adopted  by  the 
Iroquois,  but  these  were  held  in  low  esteem.     It  is  even  now  a 
great  rejiroach  to  say  to  a  man  "  you  are  nothing  but  a  ^>iwanee." 
Other  nations  were  not  desjMsed,  and   the  present  Atotarho,  at 
Onondaga,  is   of  Cherokee  descent.     The  Shawnees   desired  to 
settle  near  Chautauqua  lake  in  1725,  but  did  not  do  so.     They 
once  lived  in  Georgia  and  Florida.     Van  der  Donck  said,  (i625> 
"With  the  Minquas  we  include  the  Senecas,  the  Maquas,  and 
other  inland  tribes.     The  Savanoos  are  the  southern   nations." 
After  destroying  the  Andastes  the  Iroquois  attacked  the  Miami 
Shawnees,  and   dispersed   them.     Mitchell's  map,  of  1755,  says 
that,  in  1672,  the  Iroquois  subdued,  and  incorporated  with  them- 
selves, '*  the   antient  CHAOUANONS,  the   native  proprietors 
of  those  countries  and  the  River  OHIO.      *       *       Those  about 
Philadelphia,  who  were  called  Sauwanocs,  we  now  called  Shaw- 
anoes  or  Shawnees."     Nicholas  Perrot  lived  among  the  Indians 
for  thirty  years  subsequent  to  1665.     He  said  that  the  Iroquois 
lived  at  Montreal,  but  fled  to  lake  I^rie,  \Nhere  dwelt  the  Cha- 
ouanons.     These  fought  against   them,  and  drove  them   to  the 
shores  of  Lake  Ontario.     Afterwards  the  Iroquois  drove  them 
to  Carolina,  but  still  remained  in  New  York.    Colden  and  others 
tell  much  the  same  story.     They  are  sometimes  called  Satanas. 
The  Oneidas  made  their  settlements  on  the  Susquehanna  in 


NOTES   ON    CUSICK's    SIX   NATIONS.  73 

the  eighteenth  century.  The  name  here  given,  which  more  cor- 
rectly IS  Kah-nah-seh-na-sah-wa-de-u  yea,  means  "  Sandy  place." 
In  Onondaga  it  is  Kah-na-se-u,  "  Nice  sand." 

The  earthwork  at  Oxford  was  in  the  village,  and  near  the  river. 
On  one  side  the  bank  is  naturally  precipitous,  and  a  semi  circular 
wall  and  trench  extended  from  this,  enclosing  about  three  fourths 
of  an  acre.  The  gates  were  at  each  end  of  the  wall.  Nothing 
was  found  but  coarse  pottery,  and  it  was  probably  not  long  occu- 
pied. 1  have  examined  an  earthwork  in  Oswego  county  as  bar- 
ren of  implements.  This  was  of  the  Iroquois  type.  The  mound 
two  miles  below  Greene  seemed  the  work  of  another  people.  The 
fort  at  Sidney  Plains  had  also  a  bank  and  ditch,  and  enclosed 
about  three  acres. 

Page  19.  No  message  had  official  recognition  unless  accom- 
panied by  a  belt  or  string  of  wampum.  An  Oneida  chief,  Abram 
Hill,  explained  to  me  his  strings  of  council  wampum.  After 
speaking  of  the  white  man's  use  of  credentials,  he  said  that  wam- 
pum had  the  same  character.  If  he  sent  a  man  without  it,  but 
with  an  official  message,  no  attention  would  be  paid  to  it ;  if  he 
bore  wamiumi  his  w  )rds  would  be  heard.  "  Indian's  wampum 
same  as  white  man's  letter." 

Page  20.  In  the  Onondaga  story  the  serjjent  is  called  Kus- 
hise-too-wan,  "  Big  Snake,''  and  had  but  one  head.  The  tale  is 
much  the  same,  but  differs  slightly  towards  the  close.  The  war- 
riors were  in  despair,  but  all  laughed  when  a  boy  offered  to  kill 
him.  First  he  made  a  bow  of  basswood,  and  an  arrow  of  red 
willow.  Then  he  dii)ped  the  arrow  in  a  young  woman's  cata- 
menia,  and  went  to  the  seri^ent,  evavtiining  it  carefully.  Then 
he  ^aid.  "'I  think  his  heart  is  just  thcio."  and  shot,  but  the  ar- 
row only  clung  to  the  scales.  Then  it  f^eemed  alive,  and  began 
to  twist  and  turn  into  the  skin  until  it  reached  the  heart.  In 
great  agony  tl:e  ser]:)ent  rolled  down  llie  steej)  hill-side  into  the 
lake,  vomiting  men  dead  and  alive,  and  at  last  died  in  the  water. 

The  scene  of  this  legend  is  not  at  the  earlier  suppc  sed  site,  at 


74  NOTES   ON    CUSICK's   SIX    NATIONS. 

the  head  of  Canandaigua  Lake,  but  at  Bare  Hill,  some  miles 
down  on  the  eastern  shore.  The  summit  of  this  is  about  i,ooo 
feet  above  the  lake,  and  was  bare  of  trees  when  the  whites  set- 
tled near  it.  There  was  an  enclosure  of  stones,  with  a  ditch,  on 
the  summit,  but  the  stones  are  now  mostly  scattered.  No  ac- 
count has  been  given  of  relics,  or  other  signs  of  occupation,  nor 
has  a  plan  ever  been  published. 

Page  21.  This  should  be  Atotarho  V.  Ke-ti-yen-goo-wah  is 
Big  Stvamp,  (of  tamarack,)  near  Tonawanda.  In  histoiy  the 
Ottawas  do  not  appear  until  the  Huron  war.  After  that,  and  the 
destruction  of  the  Neutrals,  they  came  in  contact  with  the  Five 
Nations.  Their  history  is  somewhat  curious,  especially  as  le- 
gards  the  name.  The  French  at  first  called  them  Cheveux  rel- 
fvez,  and  sometimes  Nez  Perces.  They  lay  southwest  of  the 
Hurons,  and  the  Iroquois  warred  against  them  after  the  fail  of 
that  nation.  "  Some  of  these  tribes  pieice  the  noie,  from  which 
they  hang  beads."  In  1632,  Sagard  called  them  Andatahouats, 
whence  we  have  the  name  of  Ottawas.  They  tattooed  them- 
selves, generally  going  naked,  and  wore  the  hair  erect  in  front. 

In  the  Relation  of  1666-7,  it  is  said  that  "The  Outaouacs 
pretend  that  the  great  river  belongs  to  them,  and  that  no  nation 
can  navigate  it  without  their  consent ;  this  is  the  reason  why  all 
those  who  go  to  trade  with  the  French,  although  of  veiy  differ- 
ent nations,  bear  the  name  of  Outaouacs,  undei  the  auspices  of 
whom  they  make  the  voyage.  The  ancient  abode  of  the  Outa- 
ouacs was  a  district  of  Lake  Huron,  from  whence  the  fear  of 
the  Iroquois  has  driven  them,  and  to  which  all  their  desires  tend, 
as  to  their  native  country."  At  that  time  they  were  as.cailed  by 
the  Iroquois  on  one  side,  and  the  Sioux  on  the  other. 

The  Relation  of  1668-9  speaks  of  the  same  thing.  "As  we 
have  given  the  name  of  Outaouacs  to  all  the  ravages  of  these 
countries,  although  of  different  nations,  because  the  first  who 
have  appeared  among  the  French  have  been  Outaouacs,  so  is  it 
also  with  the  name  of  the  Illinois." 


NOTES   ON   CUSICK'S   SIX   NATIONS.  75 

La  Hontan,  in  speaking  of  the  island  Manitoutin,  says,  "  In 
former  times  it  was  possessed  by  the  Outaowas,  called  Otouta- 
gans,  who  were  dislodged  by  the  progress  of  the  Iroquois  that 
has  ruined  so  many  nations."  They  were  prominent  in  1673, 
when  Frontenac  thought  a  proposed  treaty  between  them  and  the 
Five  Nations  so  important  as  to  need  special  prevention.  This 
led  to  the  building  of  Fort  Frontenac,  at  Kingston  in  Canada. 
Two  years  before  De  Courcelles  had  effected  a  peace  between  the 
Iroquois  and  Ottawas.  It  was  said  then  that  the  Iroquois  were 
so  inclined  for  war,  as  to  fight,  not  only  against  their  neighbors, 
but  nations  600  leagues  away. 

In  1686  the  Iroquois  again  tried  to  make  friends  with  them, 
saying  that  the  French  had  no  exclusive  right  to  trade  with  the 
Ottawas,  and  other  nations  who  wore  pipes  in  their  noses.  Fron- 
tenac, however,  increased  their  enmity.  In  1695  the  Ottawas 
were  invited,  by  an  express  from  him,  to  come  and  roast  an  Iro- 
quois, and  drink  his  broth.  He  died  before  he  could  be  burned, 
but  they  ate  part  of  him.  In  17 18  they  had  a  fort  opposite  De- 
troit, and  were  industrious,  having  many  habits  like  the  Hurons. 
Some  lived  farther  north. 

Page  22.  The  name  of  Chautauqua  was  early  applied  to  the 
lake  and  the  termination  of  the  connecting  portage  on  Lake  Erie. 
In  De  Celoron's  expedition  it  prominently  appears  in  this  way. 
On  the  English  boundary  map  of  1768,  it  is  placed  on  Lake  Erie, 
as  Jadahque.  The  French  spelling  is  Chadakoin,  with  variations. 
Several  meanings  have  been  assigned  to  it,  but  the  true  one 
seems  to  be  "  When  the  fish  was  taken  out,"  in  allusion  to  a 
strange  kind  caught  there.  It  is  called  Tjadakoin,  on  D'Auville's 
map  of  1755. 

Page  23.  The  stoiy  of  the  Lizard  is  not  very  clearly  expressed, 
but  suggests  Hercules  and  the  hydra.  It  may  refer  to  a  place  in 
Erie  county,  N.  Y.,  Lancaster  being  called  Ga-squen-da-geh, 
"  Place  of  the  lizard." 

Page  24.     'I'he  western  expedition  seems  much  like  a  story 


76  NOTES   ON    CUSICK.S    SIX    NATIONS. 

popular  among  the  Iroquois,  but  which  is  seldom  told  twice  alike. 
The  narrator  is  supposed  to  be  a  traveler,  telling  what  he  has 
seen.  The  more  varied  and  strange  it  is,  the  more  it  is  enjoyed. 
Page  24.  The  Dog  Tail  Nation  is  hardly  stranger  than  stories 
told  by  white  men  a  hundred  years  ago.  In  1763,  the  Great 
Council  at  Onondaga  sent  a  string  of  wampum  to  the  Delawares 
on  the  Susquehanna,  advising  them  not  to  take  sides  with  the 
French:  ''This  string  of  wampum  comes  to  let  you  know  that 
the  French  that  were  killed  is  come  alive  again,  and  that  there  is 
seven  of  our  posts  taken,  and  all  the  people  killed  by  the  French 
and  a  number  of  wild  Indians  that  have  tails  like  beavers,  and  live 
a  great  way  from  hence,  they  can't  say  how  far."  This  may  re- 
fer to  some  peculiarity  of  dress,  like  the  tails  in  some  of  Catlin's 
pictures. 

Travelers  see  strange  things.  In  the  life  of  David  Zeisberger, 
page  361,  it  is  said,  "They  steered  up  the  Beaver,  and  beyond 
the  rapids  came  to  the  first  town  since  leaving  the  fort.  It  was 
inhabited — strange  to  say — by  a  community  of  women,  all  single, 
and  all  pledged  never  to  marry." 

Page  25.  Lentahkeh  should  probably  be  Ken-tah-keh,  the  On- 
ondaga name  for  Kentucky,  meaning  a  swampy  country. 

Page  25.  The  Iroquois  were  hardly  habitual  cannibals,  and  yet 
had  the  credit  of  being  such.  They  certainly  had  no  dislike  to 
human  flesh,  provided  it  was  tender.  In  their  first  warlike  en- 
counter with  the  Dutch,  portions  of  the  slain  were  sent  round  to 
their  villages.  Father  Jcgues  gave  an  account  of  a  human  sac- 
rifice to  Aireskoi,  which  he  witnessed  among  the  Mohawks.  The 
victim  was  a  woman,  and  she  was  eaten. 

Heckwelder  quotes  from  PyrUeus  a  statement  made  by  a  chief: 
"■  The  Five  Nations  formerly  did  eat  human  flesh :  they  at  one 
time  ate  up  a  whole  body  of  the  French  King's  soldiers ;  they  say 
Eto  niocht  oc/iquari,  which  is,  Human  flesh  tastes  like  bear's 
meat.  They  also  said  that  the  hands  are  not  good  eating ;  they 
are  yofi^araf,  bitter."     The  Iroquois  were  ''known  to  eat  human 


NOTES   ON   CUSICK's    SIX    NATIONS.  77 

flesh,  and  to  kill  men  for  the  purpose  of  devouring  them,  and 
therefore  were  not  considered  by  the  I.enape  a  pure  race,  or  as 
rational  beings,  but  a  mixture  of  the  human  and  brutal  kinds." 
This  is  exaggeration. 

Page  27.  Corrected  from  4,000  years.  Cusick  gives  a  liberal 
time  to  each  Atotarho.  The  reigns  of  three,  including  this  one, 
cover  a  space  of  only  250  years,  and  the  twelve  preceding  the 
coming  of  Columbus  are  allowed  1,000  years.  Three  Atotarhos 
have  each  a  century's  reign. 

Page  27.  The  fort  Kauhanauka,  is  called  Kienukaby  School- 
craft, and  located  on  the  rocky  heights  of  the  Tuscarora  reser- 
vation, but  it  presents  but  slight  traces  of  artificial  defence.  The 
meaning  is  modern,  "  Where  the  cannon  point  down." 

Page  28.  This  story  of  a  Stone  (riant  is  related  at  Onondaga, 
but  the  place  was  at  Green  Lake,  a  curious  and  deep  pond,  with 
precipices  on  three  sides,  two  hundred  feet  high,  and  a  reputed 
rcKoit  of  the  I'aU.e  Faces,  in  this  the  giant  does  not  catch  the 
man,  but  his  pointer  is  taken  from  him,  and  again  restored. 

Page  29.  The  belief  in  witches  is  still  ver/  strong  among  the 
Onondagas,  and  is  well  described  here.  I  l-.ave  been  in  a  cave, 
on  the  reservation,  where  it  is  said  their  bod  es  were  thrown  after 
being  cut  in  pieces.  Several  popular  witch  stories  have  been  told 
me.  In  one  a  man  goes  to  a  witch  meeting  to  be  initiated.  All 
driiik  a  small  portion  of  serpent's  blood,  and  assume  various 
forms.  They  acquire  the  power  of  causing  deadly  sickness  by  a 
look,  and  a  favorite  disguise  for  the  neoi)hyte  is  that  of  an  owl. 

In  this  and  other  matten",  the  Nanticokes  had  an  evil  name. 
On  Capt.  John  Smith's  map.  of  1608,  they  are  on  the  east  shore 
of  Chesapeake  Bay,  and  eastward  of  the  Susquehanna.  They 
became  tributary  to  the  Five  Nations  in  i68c,  and  removed  to 
New  York  about  seventy  years  later. 

I.oskiel  says.  "The  Nanticoke:;  instructed  the  Delawares  and 
Iroquois  in  preparing  a  peculiar  kind  of  poison,  which  is  capal^le 
of  infecting  whole  townships  and  tribes,  witli  di:  ea*  es  as  perni- 


78  NOTKS    ON    CUSICK's    SIX    NATIONS. 

cious  as  the  jjlague.     The  Nanticokes,  who  were  the  wretched  in 
venters  of  this  art,  liave  utterly  destroyed  their  own  nation  l)y  it." 
It  is  proper  to   say  that  the  Onondagas  charged    the   French, 
before  this,  with  introducing  poisoning  arts  among  them. 

Loskiel  says,  also,  "The  Nanticokes  have  this  singular  cus- 
tom, that  about  three,  four  or  more  months  after  the  funeral,  they 
open  the  grave,  take  out  the  bones,  clean  and  dry  them,  wraj) 
them  up  in  new  linen,  and  inter  them  again."  Heckwelder  speaks 
of  this,  "These  Nanticokes  had  the  singular  custom  of  removing 
the  bones  of  their  deceased  friends  from  the  burial  place  to  a 
place  of  deposit  in  the  country  they  dwelt  in.  In  earlier  times 
they  were  known  to  go  from  Wyoming  and  Chemenk  (Chemung) 
to  fetch  the  bones  of  the  dead  from  the  eastern  shore  of  Mary- 
land, even  when  the  bodies  were  in  a  putrid  state,  so  that  they  had 
to  take  off  the  flesh  and  scrape  the  bones  clean,  before  they  could 
carry  them  along.  I  well  remember  having  seen  them  between 
the  years  1750  and  1760,  loaded  with  such  bones,  which,  being 
fresh,  caused  a  disagreeable  stench  as  they  passed  through  the 
tow.i  of  Bethlehem."  They  called  the  Delawares,  (Grandfathers. 
Their  own  name  was  Nentego;  the  Delawares  called  them  Unecht- 
go,  and  the  Iroquois  the  Sganiateratieh-rohne,  all  meaning  Tide 
Water  People. 

Page  30.  Kau-neh-sun-tah-keh  is  really  the  name  of  St.  Anne's, 
in  Canada,  but  there  may  have  been  an  earlier  Oneida  village  of 
this  name.  It  suggests  Canaseraga,  which  is  farther  west.  Names 
were  often  carried  by  emigrants  to  new  places,  or  clung  to  a  vil- 
lage through  all  its  successive  removals,  but  it  was  very  common 
for  a  village  to  have  several  names,  esjjccially  in  different  dialects. 

P?ge  30.  The  story  of  the  vampyre  appears  in  Mrs.  E.  A. 
Smith's  Irocjuois  Myths,  as  "TheDead  Hunter,''  and  I  have  pub- 
lished an  Onondaga  variant,  which  I  had  from  Albert  Cusick,  as 
"  The  Terrible  Skeleton.''  There  are  other  stories  of  vampyres, 
but  this  is  the  best  known.     It  may  be  premised  that  the  Onon- 


NOI'KS   ON    CUSILK  S    SIX    NATIONS.  79 

(lagas  always  speak  of  their  whole  territory,  ancient  or  modern, 
as  their  reservation. 

In  old  times  the  Onondagas  lived  on  a  great  reservation,  and 
somelimes  went  to  hunt  in  the  North  Woods.     In  one  party  of 
hunters  was  an  old  man,  his  daughter  and  her  husband,  and  their 
little  boy.     They  went  one  day  ajul  camped,  and  another  day  and 
lamped,  and  then  separated.     The  old  man,  his  daughter  and  her 
husband,  went  one  way,  but  the  little  boy  went  with  his  uncle, 
which  was  lortunate  iii  tlie  end.     hate  in  the  day  the  three  found 
a:i  emi)ty  cabin  in  a  clearing.     There  was  an  Indian  bedstead  on 
each  side,  and  as  no  one  seemed  to  live  there  they  i)repared  to 
:.lay  the  night.     They  gathered  fuel,  stripping  long  pieces  from 
the  shag-bark  hickory,  built  a  fine  fire,  spread  their  deer  skins  on 
the  bed  teads,  and  then  went  to  sleep ;  the  old  man  on  one  side, 
and  the  man  and  his  wife  on  the  other.     When  the  fire  was  low, 
and  the  cabin  grew  dark,  the  young  people  suddenly  woke,  hear- 
ing a  sound  like  a  dog  gnawing  a  bone.    As  they  stirred  the  noise 
(eased,  but  was  followed  by  a  sound  like  rattling  bones,  overhead. 
'I'liey  rose,  put  on  more  fuel,  and  were  going  back  to  bed  when 
they  saw  something  flowing  from  the  other  couch.     Tlie  old  man 
was  dead,  his  clothes  were  torn  ojjcn,  his  ribs  broken  and  gnawed. 
They  covered  him  up,  and  lay  down  again.     The  fire  went  down, 
and  soon  there  came  the  same  sound.     This  time  they  saw  a  ter- 
rible skeleton  feeding  on  the  dead  man.     It  disappeared  when 
they  moved,  and  they  formed  a  plan  of  escai)e.     They  made  a 
greater  fire,  and  the  wife  said,  "Husband,    I  am   so  thirsty;   I 
must  go  to  the  sprirg  and  drink."     So  she  went  out  quietly,  but 
when  a  little  way  off  she  ran  with  all  her  might  towards  her  own 
country,     ^^'hen  the  man  thought  she  had  a  good  start,  he  made 
a  very  big  fire,  to  last  a  long  time,  and  then  he  said,  '*  What  has 
become  of  my  wife?     I.  am  afraid  she  is  drowned  in  the  spring  ! 
1  mus,t  go  and  see."     So  he  went  out,  and  scon  ran  with  all  his 
might  until  he  oveitook   his  wife.     He  caught  her  l)y  the  aim, 
and  they  ran  on  together. 


8o  N<rlKS    (JN    CLSICK's    six    NAIION'S. 

When  the  fire  once  more  went  clown  the  skeleton  came  again, 
^tarting  in  chase  when  he  found  they  were  gone.  Soon  they 
heard  him  howhng  terribly  be'.iind  them,  and  they  ran  faster  still. 
That  night  there  was  an  Onondaga  feast,  and  it  now  drew  near 
day.  They  heard  the  drum  sounding  tum-tum,  tum-tum,  and 
they  ran  harder,  shouting  with  all  their  might,  but  the  skeleton 
did  the  same.  They  heard  the  drum  again,  tum-tum^  tiun'tiiin  ; 
it  was  nearer,  and  they  shouted  again.  Their  friends  heard,  and 
came  with  all  their  arms.  The  skeleton  turned  and  tie  1.  The 
fugitives  fell  down,  fainting,  and  did  not  regain  their  senses  for 
four  hours.     Then  they  told  their  story. 

A  council  was  held,  and  the  warriors  went  to  the  dreadful  spot. 
In  the  hut  were  a  few  traces  of  the  old  man,  and  in  the  loft  was 
a  bark  coffin,  in  which  was  the  skeleton  of  a  man  left  unburied 
by  his  friends.  They  determined  to  burn  all ;  fuel  was  gathered 
on  every  side  and  fire  applied.  Then  the  warriois  stood  around, 
with  raised  axes  and  bended  bows,  ready  to  destroy  the  terrible 
skeleton  if  it  came  agamst  them.  The  cabin  fell  in.  and  out  of 
the  flames  sprang  a  fox,  with  red  and  fiery  eyes,  burst  through 
the  ranks  and  vanished  in  the  woods.  The  dreadful  skeleton 
was  never  heard  of  more. 

Page  30.  It  is  often  thought  that  the  Indians  had  a  fixed  mode 
of  burial,  which  was  not  the  case.  As  Cusick  states,  the  Iro- 
quois changed  burial  customs  from  time  to  time,  as  other  In- 
dians did.  In  this  instance  the  house  where  the  dead  l)odies 
were  kept  seems  to  point  to  a  time  when  these  were  kept  for  a 
periodical  burial  in  the  great  bone-pits  or  ossuaries.  This  was  a 
custom  among  the  Hurons,  and  probably  in  Western  New  York, 
but  not  among  the  eastern  Iroquois.  Except  in  Jefferson  county 
bone  pits  hardly  occur  as  far  east  as  Onondaga.  It  will  be  no- 
ticed also  that  Cusick  here  speaks  of  a  sitting  posture. ^<v  to  the 
east,  a  posture  often  mentioned  by  early  writers,  and  familiar  to 
archaeologists,  but  opposed  to  common  opinions,  many  suppos- 
ing that  all  the  Indians  were  buried  facing  the  west.     Although 


ilic  kiices  arc  usually  drauii  iii),  ihc  luiiiui  iiiiglil  oltc-n  be  Lallcvl 
horizontal  in  other  respects.  Sonieiinies  graves  atitbrd  no  relics 
ul  any  kiiui.  I'Mtil  recently  the  Onondagas  and  'I'uscaroras,  at 
I'.-ast,  maintained  clan  burial  in  rows,  so  that  a  husband  and  wife 
were  not  buried  togi'ther. 

In  Morell's  Poem  ot"  New  England,  1625,  an  Indian  burial  is 
(lesciibed: — 

"  Their  ileail  wrapt  up  in  m-^*n,  to  thf  (jrave  tliey  give 
'*  UprijclK  to  th'  knees  witli  goods  wiiilsl  tlit^y  did  live, 
"  Wiiifli  they  l)est  lov'd;  tluir  eyes  turned  to  the  east 
•'To  which  ufier  ninuli  time  to  be  releast 
"  Tiiey  ull  lml^(  ui  ucli,  wliei'-  all  sliail  nil  thiiiKs  lmv« 
"That  licurt  can  wish,  or  they  themselves  can  crave." 

(iraves  were  often  palisaded,  and  this  everywhere.  Loskiel  says, 
'"At  the  head  of  the  corpse,  which  always  lies  towards  tiie  east, 
a  tall  i)Ost  is  erected,  pointing  out  who  is  buried  there.  If  the 
deceased  was  a  chief  of  a  tribe  or  nation,  the  post  is  only  neatly 
caived,  but  not  p-ainted.  But  if  he  was  a  captain,  it  is  painted 
red,  and  his  head  and  glorious  deeds  are  portrayed  uj)on  it.  *  * 
*  *  'I'he  burial  place  of  a  phy«ician  is  hung  with  small  tortoise 
shells,  or  a  ca  abash,  which  he  uses  in  his  practice."  I'hese  posts 
aie  often  derciibed,  and  the  village  of  ]*ainted  Post  has  its  name 
from  one  of  note. 

Megapolensis  said  that  the  Mohawks  "place  their  dead  up- 
right in  holes,  and  do  not  lay  them  down,  and  then  they  throw 
some  trees  and  wood  on  the  grave,  or  enclose  it  with  palisades," 

Stone  heaps  occur,  as  monimients,  in  many  places.  A  chief 
is  supposed  to  have  been  killed  at  Dansville,  N.  Y.,  and  Hosmer 
says,  "  When  the  whites  first  settled  here,  the  spot  where  he  fell 
was  marked  by  a  large  hole,  dug  in  the  shape  of  a  man  prostrate, 
with  his  arms  extended.  An  Indian  trail  led  by  the  place,  and 
the  [lassing  red  men  were  accustomed  to  clear  away  the  dry  leaves 
and  brush  blown  in  by  the  winds.  The  chief  was  interred  in  an 
old  burial  j)lace  near  the  j)resent  site  of  the  Lutheran  church  in 
the  village  of  Dansville.     »     »     *     *     His  monument  consisted 


82  NOTES    ON    CUSICK's    SIX    NAIIONS, 

of  a  large  pile  of  small  stones,  gathered  from  time  to  time  by  the 
natives  from  a  iiill  a  mile  distant." 

I  have  known  instances,  in  Onondaga  county,  of  Indians  keep- 
ing sup|)osed  historic  marks  clean,  but  slone  heaps  were  not 
always  memorials  of  the  dead. 

In  going  from  Cayuga  to  Onondaga  in  1666,  an  Indian  cast  a 
stick  upon  tw(j  round  stones,  which  were  surrounded  with  sym- 
bols of  superstition.  He  said,  "  K.oue!  askennon  eskatongot! '' 
This  means,  "Hold I  this  is  to  pay  my  passage,  in  order  that  I 
may  proceed  in  safety."'  Many  stone  heaps  in  New  Kngland  had 
a  superstitious  use,  but  not  all.  In  Penhallow's  Indian  Wars,  it 
is  related  that  at  a  treaty  of  peace  in  1802,  the  Indians  presented 
to  Governor  Dudley  **a  belt  of  wampum,  and  invited  him  to  the 
two  pillars  of  stone,  which  at  a  former  treaty  were  erected,  and 
called  by  the  significent  name  of  the  Two  Brothers;  unto  which 
both  parties  went,  and  added  a  great  number  of  stones." 

At  a  funeral  of  a  man,  which   Rirkland  attended  at   Kanade- 
saga,  in  1764,  about   150  Seneca  women  and  girls  were  present, 
but  no  men  besides  himself  and  the  grave-digger.     At  Onondaga 
now,  ten  days  after  the  funeral,  women  invite  others  to  a  dead 
feast.     Instead  of  wampum  a  kernel  of  corn  acccmipanies  the 
invitation.     One  man  is  invited  as  speech-maker.     The  women 
bring  pails  of  provisions,  and  these  are  pas  ed  around,  so  that 
each  has  something   from  all  the  rest.     Part  out  of  all  is  also 
put  in  the  big  kettle,  and  one  dish  of  this  is  set  on  the  table  for 
the  dead.    All  partake  of  this.     In  Canada  it  is  more  like  a  seance. 
Page  30.     Cusick   is    the   only  authority   for  the  Otter  clan, 
though  clans  were  not  always  permanent.     Sir  William  Johnson 
mentions  the  Snake,  which  was  probably  the  Eel  clan  of  the  On- 
ondagas.     A.  Cusick  tells  me  that  the  Onondagas  alone  have 
this,  he  and  the   present   Atotarho  belonging  lo  it.     The  Eels 
among  the  Tuscaroras  are  Onondagas.     Among  the  Sentcas  the 
Potato  and  some  other  clans  have  disappeared.     The  Mohawks 
and  the  Oneidas  have  but  the  three  principal,  and  probably 


NOTKS   ON    CUSICK's   SIX    NATIONS,  83 

original  t^lans  of  tlu'  Bear,  Turtle  and  Wolf.  Among  the  Mo 
hawks,  MegajH>Iensis  nuMUioned  these  three,  ami  added  of  the 
Bear  and  Wolf  clans.  "The  last  are  a  j)rogeny  of  these,  and 
their  castle  is  called  Thenondiogo."  He  nuy  liave  meant  that 
two  of  these  at  first  lived  in  one  village,  and  it  is  worthy  of  note 
that  there  are  but  two  known  Mohawk  villages  which  have  any 
claim  to  be  prehistoric.  He  adds  that  "  Kvery  one  of  these 
tribes  carries  the  beast  after  which  it  is  called,  (as  the  arms  in  its 
banner)  when  it  goe.;  against  its  enemies,  and  this  is  done  as  well 
for  the  terror  of  its  enemies,  as  for  a  sign  of  its  own  bravery." 

There  was  no //<?//  in  the  division  of  clans,  forming  a  bond  of 
union  between  the  nations,  as  has  been  often  said,  though  a  na 
tional  bond  there  was  to  some  extent,  where  the  clans  were  com- 
mon to  all.     Marriages  in  the  same  clans  were  formerly,  but  are 
jiot  now  forbidden. 

At  a  conference  with  Oov.  Bellomont,  in  1700,  sixteen  sachems 
waited  on  him,  "alleging  all  business  of  moment  was  to  be  trans 
acted  by  the  Three  Ensigns  that  the  Five  Nations  consisted  of, 
to-wit.:  the  Bear,  the  Wolf,  and  the  Turtle;  and  therefore  one 
from  each  of  the^e  tribes  or  ensigns  in  each  nation  was  to  be 
jMesent."' 

The  clans  varied,  an  1  still  vary  in  the  di.ll'rcnt  natio  is,  with  a 
tendency  to  subdivitie.     It  is  probable  that  the  Onondagas,  Cav- 
ugas  and  Senecas  added  to  the  original  clans  by  ado|)tion.     In 
an  account  of  the  Seneca  clans  at  an  early  day,  1666,  they  were 
in  two  divisions.     The  first  was  (niey-niotitesheshgue,  meaning 
four  tribes.     In  this  the  Turtle,  Atiniathin,  was  first,  because  the 
Master  of  life  placed  the  earth  on  a  tortoise.     The  Wolf  was 
second,  and  being  brother  to  the  Tuitie,  ihey  consulted  together. 
This  clan  was  called   Enanlha)onni.  or  Cahenhisenhoror.     The 
Bear  was  Atiniorguin,  and  the   Beaver  Mas  his  Irother.     'i  he 
names  of  the  clans  are  not  thore  of  their  totems.     The  second 
division  was  called  Ouiche-niotitesheshgue,  or  five  tribes.     In  it 
were  the  Deer,  Cancndeshe ;  the  Potato,  Schoneschioronon ;  the 


84  NoTis  ON  cusick's  six  .wtions. 

Great  Plover,  Otinanchahe;  the  Little  Plover,  Asco,  or  Nicohes; 
the  Kagle,  Canonchahonronon.  The  name  of  the  last  means 
two  cabins  united,  because  their  cabin  of  several  fires  was  within 
the  earth,  and  divided  by  a  partition.  Knowing  no  one  else  they 
intermarried.  In  councils  these  divisions  took  opposite  sides  of 
the  fire.  Loskiel  writes  "The  Iroquois  say  that  the  Indians 
formerly  lived  underground,  but  hearing  accidentally  of  a  fine 
country  above,  they  left  their  subterranean  habitations,  and  took 
possession  of  the  surface." 

In  1763,  the  Seneca  clans  were  the  Turtle,  Bear,  Beaver,  Eel, 
J  ,ark,  Plover,  Falcon,  Partridge,  Potato,  and  Deer.  By  some  mis- 
lake  the  Wolf  is  left  out. 

Charlevoix  says  that  the  Huron  family  was  divided  into  the 
Bear,  Wolf,  and  Turtle  clans,  but  that  writers  were  confused 
because  each  village  was  also  represented  by  an  animal. 

Page  30.  The  Iroquois  were  quite  averse  to  punishing  mur 
der  with  death,  though  it  was  sometimes  done.  They  much  pre- 
ferred expiatory  presents.  In  early  days  both  sexes  were  conti- 
nent, in  marked  contrast  to  other  nations.  As  an  act  of  hospi- 
tality, however,  temporary  wives  were  provided  for  distinguished 
visitors.  - 

Pags  31.  The  False  Faces  are  yet  a  prominent  body,  and  it 
is  easy  either  to  join  or  leave  them.  They  form  a  secret  society 
on  each  reservation,  and  wear  masks  when  taking  part  in  any 
ceremony.  These  were  formerly  of  wood,  carved  and  painted. 
Mine  is  of  this  kind,  and  now  has  attached  to  it  a  small  bag  of 
tobacco  lest  the  .s;pirit  in  it  should  become  dissatisfied  and  make 
trouble.  The  False  Faces  visit  the  sick  when  required,  and  open 
the  white  dog  feast.  Soon  after  they  have  a  feast  of  their  own. 
A  story  of  the  False  Faces  is  connected  with  Green  Pond,  west 
of  Jamesville.  In  Clark's  Onondaga  this  is  erroneously  called 
Kaiyahkoo,  a  name  belonging  to  Green  Lake  near  Kirkville. 
The  former  was  called  Tue-yah-das-so,  or  "Hemlock  Limbs  in 
the  water."     This  was  the  reputed  ancient  resort  of  the  False 


NOTES   ON    CUSICK'S   SIX   NATIONS.    ■  85 

Faces  for  their  greatest  mysteries.  An  Onondaga  one  night  heard 
many  voices  there,  and  crept  quietly  to  the  edge  of  the  high  rocks, 
which  on  thiee  sides  bound  the  pond.  Looking  down  from  the 
brink  of  the  precipice,  he  saw  the  False  Faces  coming  up  from 
the  water,  heavily  loaded  with  fish.  They  were  merrily  shouting, 
"  Hoh !  hoh-o-o-oh!  "  as  they  came.  But  their  old  leader  called 
out,  "  Some  one  is  coming !  look  out ! "  So  they  entered  the 
rocky  wall  in  single  file.  The  hunter  heard  their  voices  in  the 
locks  far  under  him,  until  their  songs  died  away,  and  all  was 
quiet  again. 

PsLge  31,     In  its  essential  feature  of  sacrifice  the  White  Dog 
Feast  seems  quite  modem,  but  in  point  of  time  it  corresponds 
with  the  old  Dream  Feast,  taking  its  place,  and  retaining  some 
of  its  features.     The  latter  was  called  Ononhouaroia,  by  the  Hu- 
rons,  and  we  have  a  graphic  account  of  its  celebration  at  Onon- 
daga in  1656.     The  Jesuits  called  it  a  turnmg  of  the  head,  but 
it  is  more  properly  the  asking,  or  Begging  Feast.     Granting  its 
identity,  it  is  now  called  Hoo-no-why-yah-ha,  in  Ononc  aga,  for 
men.     Making  known  and  obtaining  wishes,  are  leading  features; 
A  woman  wants  something,  and  a  man  speaks  for  her.     "  You 
hear!     She  begs."  (With  a  rumbHng  like  a  bull.)     "Guess  what 
it  is."     She  has  told  him  her  dream,  or  desire.     Some  o.ie  says, 
perhaps  in  joke,  "  May  be  she'll  like  this."     "  Neah  ; "  i.  e..  No. 
One  house  guesses  for  the  other,  and  they  have  some  fun  out  of 
this.     At  last  the  right  thing  is  mentioned,  and  the  response  is 
"  Neah-wen-ha."  or  "Thank  you."     Both  houses,  (the  long  and 
short,)  take  part  in  this.     The  day  of  burning  is  called  Koon- 
wah-yah-tun-war,  i.  e.,  "They  are  burning  dog."     Several  days 
aie  allowed  to  the  feast,  which  has  been  often  described. 

The  white  dcg  is  no  longer  buired  at  Onondaga,  though  a  few 
years  ago  two  were  sacrificed.     Confessioi  of  sins  on  wampum, 
and  the  cleansing  of  hearths  have  been  prominent  features.     Al- 
lusions to  the  idea  of  clothing  the  Creator  occur  in  the  journals 
of  Sullivan's  campa'gn  in  1779.  though  the  sacrifice  alor.e  is  men- 


86  .  NOTES   ON   CUSICK's   SIX   NATIONS. 

tioned,  and  not  the  annual  winter  feast.  In  Canada,  one  name 
is  "  Re-robing  the  Creator."  During  Sullivan's  campaign,  Lieut.- 
Col.  Dearborn  wrote,  "  At  several  towns  that  our  army  has  de- 
stroyed, we  found  dogs  hanging  up  on  poles  about  twelve  or  fif- 
teen feet  high,  which  we  are  told,  is  done  by  way  of  sacrifice. 
When  they  are  unfortunate'  in  war  they  sacrifice  two  dogs  in  the 
manner  above  mentioned,  to  appease  their  imaginary  God.  One 
of  these  dog's  skins  they  suppose  is  converted  mto  a  jacket,  and 
another  into  a  tobacco  pouch  for  their  god."  In  the  Genesee 
country,  Major  Foggo  wrote,  "  Two  dogs  were  found  suspended 
from  a  pole,  whicK  signified  that  evil  spirit  was  to  be  pacified  by 
their  skin^,  which  would  serve  to  make  him  a  tobacco  pouch  and 
waistcoat."     The  feast  differed  much  in  the  different  towns. 

When  fully  carried  out  the  feast  is  fourteen  days  long.     Three 
days  are  devoted  to  religious  services,  including  confession  of 
sins  on  wampum.     Three  days  of  gambling  follow,  the  clans 
being  divided  for  this.     On  the  last  day  of  this  two  False  Faces 
go  to  the  several  houses,  and  poke  in  the  ashes,  but  do  not  now 
put  out  the  fire.     In  the  evening  there  are  ceremonies  at  the 
council  house.      One  party  is  there,  and  the  other  at  another 
house  not  far  off".     Speeches  are  made  in  each,  and  they  remain 
apart  three  days.     They  guess,  as  in  the  old  dream  feast.     On 
the  seventh  and  eighth,  the  False   Faces  come  in  a  body.   The 
white  dog  (formerly  two,  and  none  now)  was  burned  on  the  ninth 
morning,  being  first  strangled  and  painted.     There  is  a  dance 
for  the  children  on  the  tenth  day,  when  the  childien  are  named) 
and  persons  adopted.     The  dance  for  the  Four  Persons,  Ki-yae- 
ne-ung-qua-ta-ka,  comes  on  the  eleventh  c'ay.     On  the  twelfth 
day  are  dances  for  the  Holder  of  the  Heavens.     1  he  dance  for 
the  Thunders  comes  on  the  thirteenth  day ;  the  men  and  women 
taking  opposite  sides  in  gambling  the  next  morning.     If  the  men 
beat,  there  will  be  a  good  season;  the  ears  of  coin  will  be  long, 
not  short  like  women. 


NOTES  ON   CUSICK'S  SIX   NATIONS.  87 

From  seven  to  ten  days  later  the  False  Faces  search  the  houses, 
receive  gifts,  and  have  c'ances  at  the  council  house. 

Among  the  Onondagas  the  Maple  dance  has  ceased,  as  they 
make  no  more  sugar.  It  is  called  Heh-teis-ha-stone-tas,  *'  Put- 
ting in  syrup.'' 

'the  Planting  dance  is,  Ne-ya-yent-wha-hunkt,  or  "Planting 
time." 

The  itrawberry  Feast  is  Hoon-tah-yus,  adding  the  name  of  the 
berry,  "Putting  in  strawberries."  The  idea  is  that  the  feast  puts 
in,  or  procuies  more  berries. 

The  Gfeen  Bean  Dance  is  Ta-yun-tah-ta-t'kwe-t'ak-hunkt, 
"Bi caking  the  bellies,"  i.  e.,  the  protruding  beans  in  the  pods. 

'J  'unt-kwa-hank  cha  ne-kah-neh-host-ha,  is  "  Dance  of  the 
green  corn." 

T'unt-kwa-hank  cha  ne-unt-hent-tees-ah-hunk,  is  "Dance  for 
the  harvest;"  all  is  finished. 

When  used  in  any  feait,  Ken-yen t-hah  is  "gambling." 

Page  31.  The  tobacco  used  by  the  Onondagas  is  not  the  com- 
mon specie?,  but  another,  Nicotiana  rustica^  with  yellow  flowers. 
This  is  always  used  in  religious  ceremonies,  or  for  any  kind  of 
charm.  When  young  men  go  out  to  dig  ginseng  they  often  stiew 
a  little  of  this  over  the  first  plant  they  find,  and  leave  it  for  good 
luck.  This  is  probably  the  kind  which  the  Petun,  or  Tobacco 
Nation  of  Canada,  raised  to  sell. 

Loskiel  .'ays,  "The  fpecies  in  common  u£e  with  the  Dela- 
wai  es  and  Iroquois  is  so  sti  ong  that  they  never  smoke  it  alone, 
but  snioke  it  with  the  dried  leaves  of  the  sumac,"  or  other  plants. 
In  a  gale  on  Oneic'a  lake,  Tekanadie,  the  adopted  brother  of  the 
Rev.  Samuel  Kiikland,  solemnly  threw  out  two  bunches  of  to- 
bacco, having  never  known  that  amount  to  fail  of  quieting  a  storm. 
When  this  did  not  succeed  he  allowed  the  missionary  to  pray. 
This  species  is  called  Oyenkwa  honwe,  "  Real  Tobacco." 

The  Iroquois  commonly  made  clay  pipe?,  and  often  of  large 
size.     The  Susquehannas  had  pipes  three  feet  long,  with  carved 


88  NiriKS  ON  cisick's  six  naiions. 

bowls  heavy  enough  to  brain  a  man.  Sir  WilHam  Johnson,  Feb- 
ruary 23,  1756,  gave  the  Six  Nations  the  largest  pipe  in  America, 
tu  be  hung  up  in  the  Onondaga  council  house,  in  full  sight  of  all. 
This  was  to  be  smoked  when  they  were  perplexed. 

Roger  Williams  said,  *'  Sometimes  they  make  such  great  pipes, 
both  of  wood  and  stone,  that  they  are  two  feet  long,  with  men 
and  beasts  carved,  so  big  or  massie,  that  a  man  may  be  Imrt  mor- 
tally by  one  of  them,  but  these  commonly  came  from  the  Mau- 
quawogs,  (Mohawks,)  or  the  men-eaters,  three  or  four  hundred 
miles  from  us.  They  have  an  excellent  art  to  cast  our  pewter 
and  brasse  into  very  neate  and  artificial  pipes."  I  have  drawn 
some  of  both  metals,  but  they  are  rare  now,  like  most  articles  of 
metal.  Figures  on  early  pipes  commonly  face  the  smoker,  but 
from  the  same  grave,  of  the  historic  period,  I  have  seen  one  of 
this  kind,  and  another  with  the  face  at  right  angles  with  the  bowl. 

Page  31.  Dreams  were  of  so  much  importance  among  the 
Iroquois,  that  the  great  annual  feast,  now  known  as  that  of  the 
White  Dog,  was  anciently  termed  the  Dream  Feast  by  the  French. 
They  found  the  dream  the  great  obstacle  in  their  life  among  the 
Hurons  and  Iroquois,  and  have  recorded  many  ludicrous  and 
alarming  stories  of  the  effects  of  dreams.  They  observed,  how- 
ever, that  though  the  Iroquois  seemed  to  worship  the  dream,  this 
was*  mistake.  It  was  one  of  the  inferior  deities,  Agatkonchoria, 
who  spoke  to  them  through  dreams. 

Page  31.  The  story  of  the  sick  medicine  man  was  told  a  lit- 
tle differently  by  Mrs.  E.  A.  Smith.  An  Onondaga  friend  of  mine 
taught  her  daughter  the  use  of  herbs  in  a  very  good  way.  She 
went  with  her  to  the  woods,  found  a  plant,  showed  its  features, 
and  explained  its  uses,  and  then  went  home.  A  week  later  they 
went  again,  but  this  time  the  daughter  found  the  plant,  and  told 
how  it  should  be  used.  Of  many  plants  the  Indians  know  very 
little,  even  of  common  kinds. 

Page  32.  The  story  of  the  queen  who  lived  in  the  peace 
house,  has  been  enlarged  by  some,  and  connected  with  the  Neu- 


NOTES   ON   CUISCK's   SIX    NATIONS.  89 

tra''--,  who  were  s  imply  styled  such  as  taking  no  part  in  the  war 
bet-.veen  the  Hurons  and  Five  Nations.  Although  their  enemies 
the  Hurons  were  closely  related  to  the  Mohawks,  and  their  lan- 
guage was  nearly  the  same.  Strictly  the  latter  was  the  only  Ca- 
nadian Iroquois  nation,  unless  the  Oneidas  dwelt  near  them  on 
the  St,  Lawrence.  The  Eries  were  near  of  kin  to  their  neigh- 
bors, the  Senecas. 

This  difterence  occasionally  appears  in  their  history.  The 
League  was  first  established  to  prevent  hostilities,  and  these 
were  imminent  between  the  Mohawks  and  Senecas  in  1656.  The 
former  had  killed  a  Seneca  chief,  but  the  French  averted  the  war. 
At  this  time  the  Mohawks  asked  an  asylum  for  their  women  and 
children  of  the  Dutch,  in  case  the  Senecas  attacked  them.  The 
Susqueha.)nas,  who  wore  heads  of  bears  and  wolves  as  orna- 
ments, were  claimed  as  kindred  by  the  Mohawks,  but  the  Cayugas 
and  Senecas  wished  to  destroy  the.n. 

When  the  three  upper  nations  sent  an  embassy  to  Quebec  in 
1665,  the  ambassadors  wished  hostilities  against  the  Mohawks  sus- 
pended, as  they  had  no  notice  of  their  coming,  "  with  assurance 
that  if  they  do  not  concur  in  the  same  treaty  of  peace,  when  he 
will  have  spoken  to  them,  then  those  Upper  Nations  will  abandon 
them." 

Page  32.  The  Onondaga  village,  three  miles  from  Buffalo,  of 
which  Big  Sky  was  chief  about  1800,  was  near  the  place  called 
Kan-hai-ta-neek-ge,  "  Place  of  many  streams ; "  in  Onondaga, 
T'ke-hune-wah-ta-noon-ke. 

l^ag^  33-  ^'on  Kawnesats  is  Conesus,  where  there  is  an  earth- 
work. 

Page  33.  The  account  of  the  Erie  war  resembles,  and  yet 
differs  from  Btacksnake's  story.  Cusick  mentions  two  wars, 
Btacksnake  only  one.  He  said  that  the  Kah  Kwahs  had  their 
principal  residence  at  Eighteen  Mile  creek,  south  of  Buffalo. 
This  is  called  by  the  Senecas,  Gah-gwah-geh,  "  Residence  of  the 
Kah  Kwahs.     Marshall  thought  thepe  the  Neutrals,  and  School- 


9©  NOTKS   ON    CrS'LJC's    SIX    NAIIONS. 

craft  called  them  Krie;.  'I'he  general  evidence  see.ns  in  favor  of 
the  latter,  as  Cusick's  certainly  is.  The  Senecas  were  then  living 
east  of  the  Gene.ee  river,  as  they  were  wlie  i  first  known  to  the 
whites. 

The  Kah  Kwahs  challenged  them  to  play  ball  and  other  games, 
but  the  young  Senecas  were  victorious  in  all.  The  Kah  Kwahs 
became  very  much  excited,  and  propo.^ed  a  wrestling  match,  the 
vanquished  to  loie  his  hea  1.  Their  champion  paid  the  penalty, 
and  the  nations  parte  1.  Soon  after  tw  Seneca  hunters,  west  of 
the  Genesee,  saw  the  Kah  Kwahs  marching  upon  their  towns, 
and  gave  the  alarm.  Tliey  wee  met  on  the  way,  and  the  next 
day  the  battle  took  place.  The  young  men,  with  peeled  bark  to 
tie  the  prisoners,  were  placed  out  of  sight,  in  the  rear,  while  the 
old  warriors  fought  with  varying  fortunes.  At  last  the/  were 
driven  back,  and  the  }oung  Seiiecas  tujf.ed  the  scale.  The  Kah- 
kwahs  were  driven  down  the  0!»io. 

The  facts  connected  with  the  downfall  of  the  Eries  are  quite 
diflferent.  August  9,  1654,  news  came  to  Onondaga,  of  "  the 
massacre  of  three  Iroquois  warriors  by  the  nation  of  the  Cat, 
(Eries,)  which  took  place  about  a  day's  journey  from  the  latter. 
This  amounts  to  a  declaration  of  war."  The  next  day  Le  Moyne 
had  four  messages,  the  Mohawks  not  being  present,  ''for  tho^e 
Iroquois  nations,  a  tomahawk  to  each,  for  their  new  war  uith  the 
nation  of  the  Cat."  A  twelfth  message  replaced  ''the  lost  head 
of  the  Senecas,  (alluding  to  the  capture  of  their  chief  by  the 
Eries.)  "  Some  of  the  Eries  would  have  spared  this  chief,  fore- 
seeing what  would  happen,  but  a  woman,  on  whom  his  fate  de- 
pended, was  deaf  to  all  arguments.  An  Oneida  chief  "  thanked 
Onnontio  for  having  generously  encouraged  them  to  combat 
against  their  new  enemies  of  the  nation  of  the  Cat.''  There  are 
many  points  of  interest  in  this  short  war,  which  entirely  crushed 
the  Eries  the  following  year.  The  first  chief  baptised  at  Onon- 
daga was  one  of  the  bravest  leaders.     An  Erie  boy  was  burned 


NOTKS   ON   CUSICKS   SIX    NATIONS.  9I 

at  Onondaga,  in  November,  1655,  and  Catharine,  the  Iroquois 
Saint,  was  of  Erie  l)irth. 

Page  34.  The  Indians  hunted  the  deer,  which  were  abundant 
and  easily  taken.  Beavers  were  little  valued  before  the  whites 
came,  but  soon  rose  in  importance.  Something  like  human  rea- 
son was  ascribed  to  them,  as  well  as  laws  and  rulers,  through 
which  lazy  members  were  exiled.  Their  hard  bones  were  sup- 
posetl  to  injure  the  teeth  of  dogs,  but  others  said  that  dogs  were 
kept  from  them  lest  they  should  vex  the  beavers'  spirits,  and  so 
affect  tlie  trapping.  When  the  hunter  killed  a  bear,  its  spirit  was 
propitiated.  In  1624,  Father  Le  Caron  wrote  of  the  Canadian 
Indians,  that  "They  have  an  insane  superstition  against  pro- 
faning certain  bones  of  elk,  beaver,  and  other  beasts,  or  letting 
their  dogs  gnaw  them.  They  preserve  them  carefully,  or  throw 
tliem  into  a  river.  They  pretend  that  the  souls  of  these  animals 
come  to  see  how  their  bodies  are  treated,  and  go  and  tell  the 
living  beasts  and  those  that  are  dead ;  so  that  if  they  are  ill  treated 
the  beasts  of  the  same  kind  will  no  longer  allow  themselves  to 
be  taken,  eiher  in  this  world  or  the  next.*' 

Neutral  hunting  customs  were  much  like  those  of  the  Five  Na- 
tions, but  when  game  was  enclosed  they  "  have  this  maxim  for 
all  kinds  of  animals,  whether  they  need  them  or  not,  that  they 
must  kill  all  they  find,  for  fear,  as  they  say,  that  if  they  do  not 
take  Ihem  the  beafrts  would  go  and  tell  the  others  how  they  had 
been  hunted,  and  that  then,  in  the  time  of  want,  they  would  not 
find  any  more." 

Elks  were  animals  of  good  omen,  but  the  bear  was  not  always. 
Early  traditions  told  of  a  giant  elk,  beside  which  all  others  were 
as  ants  in  size.  He  had  a  court  of  elks  faithfully  serving  him, 
and  may  have  been  the  one  mentioned  by  Cusick.  Whether 
buffaloes  were  ever  found  in  New  York  is  still  an  open  question, 
but  the  Iroquois  claimed  hunting  grounds  as  far  west  as  Illinois. 

In  their  limited  hunting  and  trapping  some  of  the  Onondagas 
still  use  their  medicine.     One  will  not  break  a  muskrat's  head, 


92  NUlKb    UN    CUSICKh    SIX    NATIONS. 

this  having  a  bad  effect  on  trapping.  John  Obadiah  used  to  boil 
green  osiers  for  an  emetic,  vomiting  for  several  days;  then  the 
deer  became  so  tame  that  he  could  almost  catch  them.  A  woman 
must  not  touch  his  gun.  His  early  name  was  0-skon-tah,  Bark^ 
but  at  a  Green  Corn  Dance  this  was  changed  to  Neah-sa-kwa-ta, 
Crane. 

Page  35.  Few  traces  of  Indian  occupation  are  found  in  the 
New  York  wilderness,  or  about  the  sources  of  the  Mohawk.  On 
old  maps  this  tract  appears  as  "  Coughsarage,  or  Dismal  Wilder- 
ness ;  '■  sometimes  as  "  Tyscharondia,  where  the  Iroquois  hunted 
Beaver."  By  Lake  Piseco  and  some  streams,  are  camps;  and 
there  is  a  small  Indian  fort  on  an  island  in  Smith's  lake. 

Page  35.  Except  in  the  Erie  war  I  remember  no  use  of  pois- 
oned arrows  in  New  York. 

Page  35.  In  early  days  the  rivers  and  lakes  swarmed  with  fis!i, 
but  they  were  mainly  taken  with  the  ^  pear.  Pe/hapithe  Iroquois 
used  hooks  belore  the  comiiig  of  the  whites,  yet  but  few  have 
been  found,  and  the.-,e  are  of  bone  or  horn,  suggesting  a  knowl- 
edge of  the  white  man's  hook,  alter  which  mo.t  of  ihem  are 
formed.  The  use  of  the  spear  naiurally  cau.ed  vi.lages  and 
camps  to  be  located  at  or  near  rifts  aad  shallow  parts  of  rivers. 
At  such  places,  loo,  sio.;e-weirs  were  made,  between  the  walls  of 
which  the  fish  were  driven,  and  one  very  large  one  ttill  lemains 
in  the  Seneca  river.  The  Hurons  made  hurdles,  which  brought 
the  fish  into  their  nets,  and  the  Oneidas  had  annual  fishing  feasts 
in  the  spring.  When  all  were  assembled  a  row  of  stakes  was 
placed  acrobs  the  stream,  and  woven  with  branches.  'J'hen  the 
fish  were  driven  down  the  creek,  and  another  row  of  stakes  was 
placed  behind  them.  When  this  was  done  the  spearing  com- 
menced, and  the  division  of  fi&h  and  the  feast  followed. 

Spearing  also  took  place  at  night,  one  Indian  guiding  the  canoe,- 
another  feeding  the  fire,  which  was  placed  on  a  piece  of  bark 
covered  with  earth;  a  third  wielded  the  spear.  One  of  the 
Jesuits  was  told  that  fishermen,  with  a  single  hook,  sometimes 


NOTES   ON   CUSICK  S   SIX    NA  I'loNS.  93 

took  a  thousand  eels  in  Onondaga  lake  in  one  night.  Charlevoix 
said  that  between  Quebe<-.  and  Three  Rivers  "  a  prodigious  quan- 
tity of  large  eels  are  caught  in  the  river,  which  eels  come  down 
from  Lake  Ontario,  where  they  are  bretl  in  the  marshes  on  the 
north  side  of  the  lake."  When  the  F'rench  colony  was  passing 
up  Oswego  river  m  1656,  they  took,  near  Oswego  Falls,  ''thirty- 
four  salmon,  spearing  them  with  their  swords,  and  striking  them 
with  their  oars.  They  were  so  numerous  that  we  could  strike 
them  without  difficulty." 

All  the  Iroquois  used  nets,  and  tlat  sinkers  are  found  at  most 
fishing  places,  though  the  same  flat  stones  were  undoubtedly  also 
ufed  as  quoits.  In  some  parts  a  native  hemp  furnished  twine 
and  ropes,  as  among  the  Mohawks.  The  inner  bark  of  the  bass- 
wood  also  served  for  thread,  and  this  may  have  been  what  Char- 
levoix called  thread  made  from  whitewood.  Nets  were  often 
long,  and  drawn  like  a  seine.  Charlevoix  mentions  a  curious 
Huron  custom.  "  They  also  fish  with  the  bosom  net,  and  pre- 
1  are  themselves  for  it  by  a  ceremony  singular  enough.  Before 
they  u^e  this  net  they  marry  it  to  two  girls  who  are  virgins,  and 
during  the  marriage  feast,  place  it  between  the  two  brides ;  they 
afterwards  exhort  it  to  catch  plenty  of  fish,  and  believe  they  do 
a  great  deal  to  obtain  this  favor,  by  making  presents  to  the  .sham 
fathers-in-law." 

Page  35.  Albert  Cusick  gave  me  the  following  Onondaga 
names  of  months.  He  had  them  from  John  Jacobs,  an  Old  On- 
ondaga, whose  Indian  name  is  Ke-nent  too-te,  ''Hemlock  stick- 
ing up."  The  White  Dog  Feast,  in  January  or  February,  is  the 
beginning  of  the  religious  year,  and  on  our  New  Year's  day  the 
Onondagas  go  from  house  to  house,  wishing  one  another  "  New 
Yah,"  and  receiving  cakes,  but  in  another  way  the  year  begins  in 
the  fall,  when  they  formerly  went  out  to  hunt.  In  this  arrange- 
ment October  is  Chuthowaah,  little  cold ;  November,  Chuthowa- 
gonah.  large  cold;  December,  Tisah,  little  long  day,  (/.  e.,  not 
very  long;)  January.  Tisgonah,  A?//^^r  day  :  February,  Kanatoha. 


94  NOTKS   ON   CUSICK  S    SIX    NATIONS. 

winter  leaves  fally  (i.  e.,  those  which  have  clung  to  the  trees ;) 
March.  Kanatogonah,  winter  leaves  fall  and  fill  up  the  large  holes. 
That  is,  the  high  Maicli  winds  blow  all  the  leaves  into  the  hol- 
lows in  the  woods.  April,  Esutah,  warm  and  good  days ^  but  not 
planting  time;  May,  Oyeayegonah,  leaves  in  full  size  and  straw- 
berries ripe  ;  June,  Seskahah,  sun  goes  for  long  days  ;  July,  Ses- 
kagonah,  sun  goes  for  longer  days.  This  means  the  longest  ""y, 
but  the  limits  of  the  last  three  months  are  not  defined  exactly  as 
with  us.  August,  Kentenah,  deer  sheds  its  hair ;  September, 
Kentenahgonah,  deer  in  its  natural  fur.  An  intercalary  month 
is  used  when  necessary.      Gonah  means  something  greater. 

At  the  same  time  I  had  a  liht  of  the  present  days  of  the  week. 
Sunday,  Ahwentahtokente,  holy  day  ;  Monday,  Ahwentahtentah- 
ee,  holy  day  over;  Tuesday,  Tekenwahtontah,  second  oney  (/'.  e.y 
after  Sunday/)  Wednesday,  Tawentoken, /^^/Zi'e'^//  the  days,  or  the 
middle  of  the  week;  Thursday,  Kahyeaycwahtontah,y^//rM<>«^/ 
Friday,  Wickswahtontah,  y^///  one;  Saturday,  Entucktah,  near 
the  (holy)  day.  Five  is  wish  with  jome,  and  wicks  with  others. 
A  Quaker  family  taught  among  the  Onondagas  about  seventy 
years  ago,  and  the  numerical  names  may  thus  have  taken  form, 

Zeisberger  enumerated  the  Delaware  months,  which,  being 
further  Fouth,  are  quite  different,  but  Dr.  C.  C.  Abbott  finds  them 
appropriate.  January,  Anixi,  ground  squirrel  month  ;  February, 
Schgalle,  frog  month ;  March,  Chawme  gischuch,  shad  month. 
He  does  not  give  the  next  three  months,  but  in  Loskiel,  April  is 
planting  time  ;  May,  time  fcr  hoeing  corn  ;  June,  deer  become  red ; 
July,  hilling  corn ;  August,  corn  in  milk;  September,  autumn ; 
October,  harvest;  November,  hunting ;  December,  lucks  cast 
their  horns.  Zeiibeiger  gives  j  ait  of  iheie.  July,  Nipeni,  j//w- 
mer ;  August,  Winamirge,  hanest;  December,  Lowanni  gis- 
chuch,  north  month. 

The  months  are  lunar.  In  Wassenaer's  account  of  New  Nether- 
lands, 1621-1632,  he  fays  of  scire  of  the  Indians,  "The  names 
of  their  nr.onths  aie  these :  Cueranoy  the  first  with  them,  February  ; 


NOTKS   ON    CUISCKS    SIX    NATIONS.  95 

2.  Weer-fiemska:  3.  Heemskan:  4.  Oneratacka:  5.  Oneratack^ 
then  men  begin  to  so»v  and  to  plant ;  6.  Ha^arert:  7.  lakoiwa- 
ratta:  ^.  Hatter homij^at :  9.  Getihendasta  :  then  the  grain  and 
everything  is  ripe:  10.  Di^ojenjattha,  then  is  the  seed  housed. 
Of  January  and  December  they  take  no  note,  being  of  no  use  to 
them."     Part  of  these  seem  Iroquois  names. 

Page  35.  The  Pleiades  were  called  the  Dancers^  and  Cusick 
may  allude  to  these.  Most  Indians  gave  the  deat  Bear  the 
same  name  that  we  do,  and  called  the  north  star,  the  star  with- 
out motion.  In  eclipses  they  used  to  imagine  there  was  war  in 
heaven,  and  shot  arrows  in  the  air  to  help  the  sun  or  moon,  but 
the  Hurons  thought  the  moon  was  ill,  during  an  eclipse,  and 
made  loud  noises,  with  many  ceremonies  and  prayers.  Dogs 
were  stoned  and  beaten,  because  theii  bowlings  were  acceptable 
to  the  moon. 

Page  35.  Cusick  gives  an  extravagant  estimate  of  the  Iro- 
quois strength.  Morgan  thought  they  were  most  numerous  in 
1650,  and  called  their  numbers  then  about  25,000.  Those  who 
are  familiar  with  the  traces  of  their  forts  and  villages  will  consider 
this  quite  high  enough,  and  in  1677,  Greenhalgh,  who  visited 
most  of  their  towns,  allowed  them  2,150  warriors,  which  would 
not  give  a  population  of  over  10,000.  Continual  wars  de- 
stroyed their  warriors  rapidly,  but  these  were  partially  replaced 
by  the  adoption  of  captives. 

With  all  their  bravery  they  only  maintained  their  own  ground 
until  the  Dutch  came,  but  then  gunpowder  gave  them  a  great  ad- 
vantage which  they  freely  used.  It  is  de.'  cribed  in  the  Journal  of 
New  Netherland,  i6^i--46,  in  relating  what  had  happened  at  an 
early  day.  The  Albany  people  ''  perceiving  that  the  Mohawks 
were  craving  for  guns,  which  some  of  them  had  already  received 
from  the  English,  paying  for  each  as  many  as  twenty  beavers,  and 
for  a  pound  of  powder  as  many  as  ten  to  twelve  guilders,  came 
down  in  greater  numbers  than  usual  where  guns  were  plenty,  pur- 
chasing them  at  a  fair  j)rice.  realizing  in  this  way  considerable 


96  NOTES   ON    CUSICK's    SIX    NATIONS. 

profit.  *  *  ♦  «  'Yhe  Mohawks  in  a  short  time  were  seen 
with  firelocks;  powder  and  lead  in  proportion.  Four  hundred 
armed  men  knew  h.ow  to  make  use  ol  their  advantage,  especially 
against  their  enemies  dwelling  along  the  River  of  Canada,  against 
whom  they  now  achieved  many  i)rofitable  forays,  where  before 
they  had  but  little  advantage ;  this  caused  them  also  to  be  re- 
spected by  the  surrounding  nations  even  as  far  as  the  sea  coast, 
who  must  generally  pay  them  tribute,  whereas,  on  the  contrary, 
they  were  formerly  obliged  to  contribute  to  these." 

They  became  excellent  marksmen,  and  had  this  advantage, 
that  guns  were  refused  to  other  Indians.  This  gave  them  an 
easy  supremacy.  In  writing  of  names  And  national  emblems,  in 
177 1,  Sir  William  Johnson  said,  the  ''Mohawks  have  a  steel, 
called  Cannia,  then-je  Canniungaes"  was  their  proper  name. 
Another  writer,  in  1736,  said  their  device  was  a  flint  and  steel. 
They  may  have  obtained  this  from  Cartier,  at  Montreal,  in  1535. 

P^g^  35-  I"  1654  the  Mohawks  were  very  indignant  because 
the  French  went  to  Onondaga  by  way  of  Lake  Ontario,  alleging 
that  they  should  have  passed  through  the  eastern  door,  which 
they  guarded.  All  were  jealous  of  national  etiquette,  and  both 
French  and  English  were  accustomed  to  salute  ambassadors  with 
a  discharge  of  five  cannon,  one  for  each  of  the  Five  Nations. 
There  was  a  good  deal  of  mutual  jealousy.  Wiien  the  French 
colony  was  on  its  way  to  Onondaga,  in  1656,  the  Hurons  in  their 
company  were  bound  and  gagged  by  a  party  of  Mohawks,  and 
the  Onondagas  ill  treated.  "  The  fear  of  provoking  a  war  with 
the  Onondagas  «  *  »  obliged  them  to  render  proper  ex- 
cuses." The  Mohawks  and  Oneidas  were  near  of  kin,  and  the 
same  year  the  Onondaga  chiefs  came  to  the  French  10  warn  them 
not  to  trust  the  Oneidas,  for  they  were  "  fraudulent  in  actions, 
and  deceitful  in  words."  This  was  the  year  in  which  the  Mo- 
hawks and  Senecas  were  nearly  at  war,  the  Cayugas  sympathiz- 
ing with  the  latter. 

Page  30*.     Meetings  of  the  Grand  Council  at  Onondaga  were 


NOTES   ON    CUSICK's   SIX    NATIONS.      ,  97 

often  of  much  interest,  but  were  not  open  for  business  until  cer- 
tain ceremonies  had  been  performed.  Most  important  of  these 
was  the  covering  of  the  graves  of  the  dead.  Presents  wiped 
away  all  tears,  restored  speech,  and  dried  up  any  blood  that 
might  have  fallen  on  the  council  mat.  Other  things  were  added 
later.  Thorns  were  taken  out  of  the  path,  clouds  removed  from 
the  sky,  the  covenant  chain  brightened.  Under  Sir  WiUiam 
Johnson  new  features  appeared.  One  of  these,  apparently  a 
western  custom,  was  that  of  sweeping  the  hearth  with  the  wing  of 
a  bird,  generally  white.  Loskiel  says,  "  Formerly  they  used  to 
give  sanction  to  their  treaties  by  delivermg  a  wing  of  some  large 
bird ;  and  this  custom  fctill  prevails  among  the  more  western 
nations  in  transacting  business  with  the  Delawares."  It  was  first 
mentioned  in  New  York  in  1753.  Sometimes  a  fan  was  used 
after  this.  In  1765  another  ceremony  was  added,  which  came 
from  the  Delawares.  The  bones  of  the  dead  were  symbolically 
collected  and  placed  under  a  great  pine  tree,  that  they  might 
never  appear  again.  With  these  were  other  customary  cere- 
monies. 

It  is  curious  how  many  conflicting  things  had  the  reputation  of 
custom.  In  1654  Le  Moyne  met  the  Grand  Council  early  in  the 
day.  The  next  year  the  French  attended  at  various  hours.  In 
1756  it  was  recorded  that  Iroquois  councils  are  always  held  at 
night.  When  Kirkland  visited  Onondaga  in  1764,  they  said  that 
ai  ntiportant  message  could  only  be  received  in  the  light  of  day, 
and  the  council  met  at  10  o'clock  in  the  morning. 

Ambassadors  did  not  enter  a  town  at  once,  and  many  instances 
could  be  given  of  their  reception  at  some  distance.  That  of 
Kirkland  at  Kanadesaga,  near  Geneva,  in  1764,  best  illustrates 
Hiawatha's  reception  by  the  Mohawks.  The  missionary  says, 
''According  to  Indian  custom,  we  halted  at  the  skirts  of  the  town, 
sat  down  upon  a  log  to  rest,  and  lighted  our  pipes.  Presently  a 
runner  was  despatched  from  the  town,  and  came  in  full  speed  to 
us,  and  asked  us  whence  we  came,  and  where  we  were  going,  and 


98  NOTES    ON    CUSICK's    SIX    NATIONS. 

what  was  our  desire.  One  of  our  convoy  answered,  '  We  are 
only  bound  to  this  place,  and  wish  to  be  conducted  to  the  house 
of  the  chief  sachem.'  He  then  told  us  to  follow  him,  and  we 
soon  entered  the  chief  sachem's  house,  and  were  cordially 
received." 

That  changes  should  occur  is  not  remarkable,  but  too  great 
stress  has  been  laid  on  tradition  and  continuous  custom.  For 
any  good  reason  a  change  was  made,  and  the  words  of  Sir  Wil- 
liam Johnson,  in  177 1,  seem  true  of  those  whom  he  knew  so  well. 
*'  The  Indians  near  the  white  settlements,  relying  solely  on  oral 
traditions  for  the  support  of  their  ancient  usages,  have  lost  great 
part  of  them,  and  have  blended  some  with  customs  among  our 
selves."  Similar  changes  had  occurred,  he  said,  farther  off, 
especially  where  the  Jesuits  had  been.  It  is  easy  to  show  that 
he,  himself,  added  a  great  deal  to  Iroquois  ceremonies.  t 

Page  36.  The  Agouhanna  of  Cartier's  Canadian  voyages, 
being  the  lord  and  king  of  the  country,  seems  equivalent  to  this 
title  of  Aukoyaner,  with  the  same  meaning.  The  latter  is  Mo- 
hawk. In  Onondaga  it  is  Ah-goyan-he,  but  the  office  is  found 
in  all  the  clans,  not  in  the  Turtle  alone. 

Page  36.  Stone  pestles  abound  in  Onondaga  county  and  else 
where,  but  generally  belonged  to  an  earlier  people.  The  Onon- 
dagas  themselves  still  use  wooden  mortars,  about  two  feet  high, 
and  a  wooden  i)estle,  four  feet  long,  the  handle  being  in  the  mid- 
dle. A  small  amount  of  parched  and  pounded  corn  will  last  a 
great  while.  The  Onondagas,  however,  raise  a  soft  white  corn, 
which  they  esteem  highly,  and  which  they  think  can  be  prepared 
only  by  pounding.  For  bread  it  is  mixed  with  beans.  They  are 
very  ingenious  in  wcod-wojk  of  all  kinds,  and  weave  baskets 
which  will  hold  water. 

Page  36.  Capt.  John  Smith  may  have  meant  the  Tufcaroras 
by  the  Kuscarawaokes,  a  southern  tribe.  His  account  of  the 
Massawomekes  is  clearly  that  of  a  people  related  to  the  Iroquois, 
but  there  are  good  reasons  for  placing  them  even  south  of  the 


NOTES   ON   CUSICK's   SIX   NATIONS.  99 

Eries.  It  is  true  that  either  the  Senecas  or  Eries  could  have 
gone  down  the  Allegany,  and  reached  the  Potomac  by  a  si  ^ 
portage.  Of  the  two  the  latter  were  most  likely  to  do  this,  and 
the  Eries  themselves  included  more  than  one  nation.  Still  there 
are  Iroquoian  traces  near  the  upper  waters  of  the  Potomac,  that 
may  belong  to  the  Mass  iwomekes. 

Smith's  account  of  this  people  is  of  interest,  and  may  well  be 
given.  In  July,  1608,  he  ascended  Chesapeake  Bay,  revisiting 
several  place?.  '•  Soon  after  that,  when  crossing  the  bay,  we  en- 
countered seven  or  eight  canoes  full  of  Massawomeks.  Seeing 
that  they  were  preparing  to  attack  us,  we  left  off  rowing,  and 
made  way  with  our  sail  to  encounter  them :  ifDt  that  I  particu- 
larly wished  to  do  so,  if  I  could  avoid  it,  for  there  were  but  four 
of  us,  besides  myself,  who  could  stand;  for,  two  days  after  we 
left  Kecoughton,  the  rest  were  sick  almost  to  death,  until  they 
got  seasoned  to  the  country.  Hiding  them  under  our  tarpaul- 
iiig,  we  put  their  hats  upon  sticks  bv  the  barge's  side,  and  betwixt 
two  hats,  a  man  with  two  guns,  and  I  fancy  the  Indians  did  take 
those  hats  to  be  men,  for  they  fled  with  all  possible  speed  to  the 
shore,  and  there  stayed,  staring  at  the  sailing  of  our  barge,  till  we 
anchored  right  against  them.  It  was  long  ere  we  could  draw 
them  to  come  unto  us,  but  at  last  they  sent  two  of  their  number, 
unarmed,  in  a  canoe,  and  the  rest  followed,  to  help  them,  if  they 
needed  it.  I  gave  to  each  of  these  two  a  belt,  and  they  were  so 
delighted  that  they  soon  brought  their  fellows  on  board,  who  pre- 
sented me  with  venison,  bears'  flesh,  fish,  bows,  arrows,  clubs, 
targets  and  bears'  skins.  We  could  not  understand  a  word  they 
spoke,but  by  signs,  they  signified  unto  us  that  they  had  been  at 
war  with  the  'lock'vtgHfes:,  which  they  confirmed  by  showing  us 
their  wounds,  which*  wete  ,'quke*  ri:c?;r»t.'  They  went  away  at 
nightfall,  leaving  us  under  the  impres^roi^  that  fh^y  would  come 
again  on  the  monow  jrwhihg ;  ^ut  afte^  that  we  never  saw  them." 

The   targets   were  ''made   of* small  s-ickfe.*  interwoven   with 
strings  of  their  hemp  and  silk  grass,"  arrow-proof,  and  such  as 


loo  NOTES    ON    CUSICKS    SIX    NATIONS. 

were  used  by  the  Iroquoirs  at  that  time.  Similar  to  this  was  the 
"arrow-proof  armor  woven  of  cotton  thread  and  wob:l,"  worn  by 
the  Mohawk  chiefs  killed  by  Chaniplain  the  next  year,  on  Lake 
Champlain. 

Possession  of  these  arlic'es  gave  Smith  great  reputation  among 
the  Tockwoghes,  for  they  thought  them  trophies  from  their 
dreaded  enemie  ,  and  he  was  well  received.  "  We  saw  among 
these  people  many  knives,  hatchets,  and  pieces  of  brass,  which 
they  said  they  had  from  the  Sascjuesahanock?,  a  mighty  people, 
and  mortal  enemies  to  the  Matsawomeks.  I  a;ked  the  n  to  pre- 
vail on  some  of  these  Indians  to  pay  me  a  visit,  and  in  about 
three  or  four  days*'  time  sixty  of  these  giait  like  people  came, 
bringing  with  them  presents  of  venison,  tobacco  pipe.i  three  feet 
in  length,  baskets,  targets,  and  bows  and  arrows." 

Elsewhere  he  speaks  of  the  neat  bark  canoes  of  the  Massa- 
womekes.  The  Susquehannocks,  called  Andastes  by  the  Iro- 
(juois,  wore  heads  of  wolves  and  bears  as  ornaments,  and  had 
immense  pipes.  They  had  '•  600  able  and  mighty  men,  all  pal- 
isaded in  their  towns  to  defend  them  from  the  Massawomekes, 
their  mortal  enemies."'  These  were  of  Iroquoian  stock,  and  were 
claimed  as  near  kindred  by  the  Mohawks.  An  earthwork  near 
Waverly,  N.  Y.,  has  been  considered  their  stronghold,  but  most 
of  them  lived  farther  south.  It  has  been  thought  by  some  that 
the  Massawomekes  were  New  York  Iroquois,  as  they  certainly 
belonged  to  that  family.  Language,  canoes,  and  targets,  are 
among  the  proofs. 

In  "  The  Founders  of  Maryland,"  by  the  Rev.  E.  D.  Neill, 
there  is  published  Fleet's  journal  of  1632.  He  sailed  up  the 
Potomac  as  far  as  possible,  anrj  h}^  i)rQtbes;.M«it  farther  north. 
It  has  been  thought  tnat  li.^"isit«d,tjip.  Lries  and  Senecas,  and 
that  these  were  the  M.^ssanvomekes.  .Tht -time  seems  too  short' 
for  him  to  have  done.  tbis.  He. was  Hievlei>  days  in  going  to  the 
Massomacks,  from-i^eai.  .Was^nington,  and  five  in  returning.  He 
may  have  reacned  southern  villages  of  the  Fries,  and  he  reported 


NOTES   ON    CUSICK  S    SIX    NATIONS.  101 

them  as  having  towns  pahsaded  "with  great  trees,  and  with  scaf- 
folds upon  the  walls."  He  said  they  had  four  kings  or  chiefs, 
thus  indicating  four  nations.  On  linguistic  grounds  Mr.  Gat- 
schet  thought  one  of  these  the  Senecas,  while  the  other  three 
might  have  been  Eries,  then  in  alliance  with  them. 

The  stories  which  were  told  Smith  tend  to  identify  these  formi- 
dable savages  with  the  Eries.  He  said,  "  Beyond  the  mountains, 
from  whence  is  the  head  of  the  river  Patawomeke  (Potomac)  the 
Salvages  rejoort,  inhabit  their  most  mortal  enemies,  the  Massa- 
womekes,  upon  a  great  salt  water,  which,  by  all  likelihood,  is 
either  some  part  of  Canada,  some  great  lake,  or  some  inlet  of 
some  sea  that  falleth  into  the  South  Sea.  These  Massawomekes 
are  a  great  nation,  and  very  populous."  The  Indians  of  Virginia 
feared  tl»em  greatly.  On  the  map  published  .with  the  1629  edi- 
tion of  Smith's  travels,  they  are  placed  on  the  south  shore  of  a 
supposed  sheet  of  water,  about  seventy-five  miles  northwesterly 
of  the  headwaters  of  the  Potomac.  Mr.  Albert  S.  Gatschet 
reasonably  interprets  their  name  as  meaning  "'  those  on  a  great 
water." 

Fleet  met  also  a  "few  Hereckenes,  who  are  cannibals."  These 
sold  their  beaver  in  Canada,  and  had  iron  axes,  which  they 
bought  of  Kirk,  in  Quebec.  They  were  much  farther  eastward 
than  the  two  he  mentioned,  and  were  probably  some  of  the  east- 
ern Iroquois.  It  is  proper  to  remember  that  early  in  the  seven- 
teenth century  the  Senecas  were  hardly  classed  as  Iroquois. 
Champlain's  map  and  description,  in  1632,  distinguished  them, 
the  latter  saying  "  The  Yroquoisand  the  Antouhonorans  make  war 
together  against  all  the  other  nations,  except  the  Neutral  nation. 
Carantouanis  is  a  nation  to  the  south  of  the  Antouhonorons," 
and  was  another  name  for  the  Andastes,  or  Susquehannas. 

At  a  later  day  the  Five  Nations  often  saw  the  Tuscaroras  in 
their  southern  expeditions.  Governor  Keith  wrote  to  the  Gov* 
ernor  of  New  York,  that  the  Five  Nations  "were  actually  in 
these  parts,  assisting  the  Tuscaroras,"  in  17 12  and  17 13. 


102  NOTES    ON    CUSICK  S    SIX    NAJIONS. 

They  lived  on  the  Neuse  and  Tar  rivers  in  North  Carolina, 
and  rose  against  the  cjlonist  in  17  ii,  but  were  totally  defeated 
the  next  year.  In  17 14  they  were  receive  las  the  sixth  nation  of 
the  Iroquois  confederacy,  but  in  a  subordina'e  way.  Other  na- 
tiohs  were  afterwards  admilte.l,  but  never  had  any  name  or  stand- 
ing in  the  League.  Some  Tu^caroias  came  north  in  1766,  but  a 
few  remained  near  the  Roanoke  river  as  late  a<  1803.  They 
were  assigned  homes  among  the  Oneida-,  where  they  had  several 
villages,  and  gradually  transferred  some  of  these  to  the  Susque- 
hanna river.  Their  language  differs  so  much  from  that  of  .the 
Five  Nations,  although  radica'ly  the  f  ame.  that  an  interpieter  is 
employed.  I  have  heard  an  Onondaga  interpret  the  speech  of 
his  'I'uscajora  father.  David  Cusick  uses  few  Tuicarora  names. 
In  the  Oneida  territory  Cana  eragawas  the  Tu.'cavora  ca-tle,  and 
a  creek  flowing  into  Oneida  lake  was  called  Tuscarora  creek. 

In  17 14  the  Five  Nations  notified  the  EngUsh  that  the  lu  ca- 
roras  had  come  to  them.  "They  were  of  us,  and  went  out  f.oni 
us  long  ago,  and  are  now  returned,  and  pi  omise  to  live  peaceably 
among  us."  • 

Page  37.  The  Oyatoh  were  the  Cherokees,  called  by  the  Sen- 
ecas,  Oyadagaono,  '•  People  who  dwell  in  caves."'  The  Onon- 
dagas  call  them  now,  T'kwen-tah-e-u-ha-ne,  "  People  of  a  beau- 
tiful red  color."  This  seems  equivalent  to  the  Kwentarirorau- 
nuh,  of  Cusick.  The  Kawedas  were  the  Cowetas,  in  Georgia. 
A  large  part  of  the  Onondaga  Eels  were  once  taken  by  the  Cher- 
okees. Their  friends  recaptured  most  of  them,  and  the  Chero- 
kee prisoners  were  adopted  by  the  Eels.  It  thus  happens. that 
the  present  Atotarho,  being  ai^  Eel,  is  of  Cherokee  blood. 

On  Mitchell's  map,  1755,  the  "Tionontatecagas,  Dwellers  in 
caves,"'  appear  in  the  southern  Apalachian  -mountain  ranges: 
Albert  Cusick  interpreted  this  for  me  as  burning  or  smoking 
mountains,  and  thought  it  might  refer  to  the  smoke  from  the 
mountain  caves.     This  name  may  be  compared  with  theTionon- 


NOTES   ON    CUSICK'S   SIX    NATIONS.  IO3 

taties,  or  Tobacco  Nation  of  Canada,  who  also  lived  on  hills  near 
the  Nottawasaga  nver,  where  they  raised  tobaccoi 

Page  37.  While  the  Atotarho  was  always  an  Onondaga,  it  has 
been  denied  that  the  Mohawks  furnished  the  great  war  chief. 
Morgan  claims  that  there  were  two  such  hereditary  chiefs,  who 
were  always  Senecas.  On  the  other  hand  it  is  certain  that  the 
Seneca  chiefs  were  not  as  prominent  as  leaders  as  several  in 
other  nations,  and  that  others  sought  or  held  the  office. 

Page  37.  The  great  earthquake  in  Canada  occurred  in  1663, 
and  excited  great  fear.  When  Charlevoix  ascended  the  St.  Law- 
rence in  1720,  he  spoke  of  the  rapid  current  of  the  Saguenay  at 
its  mouth,  and  of  the  elTect  of  this  at  Checoutimi,  25  French 
leagues  up  that  river,  "  This  rapidity  has  besides  come  to  the 
pitch  in  which  we  now  see  it,  only  since  the  earthquake  in  1663. 
This  earthquake  overturned  a  mountain,  and  threw  it  into  the 
river,  which  confined  its  channel,  forming  a  penmsula  called 
Checoutimi,  beyond  which  is  a  rapid  stream  impassable  even  to 
canoes." 

Page  37.  The  tree  of  peace  was  .often  alluded  to  in  early 
councils,  and  yet  mainly  in  connection  with  treaties  with  the 
French  and  English.  Similarly  the  Great  Peace,  sometimes  ap- 
plied to  the  League,  has  the  same  wide  application. 

Page  37.  The  war  with  the  Mohegans  wus  mainly  carried  on 
by  the  Mohawks,  when  the  Dutch  ascended  the  River  Hudson. 
The  Mohegans  occupied  its  banks,  and  the  Mohawk ,  villages 
were  no  nearer  than  Schoharie  creek.  The  Dutch  at  first  took 
sides  with  the  Mohegans  and  were  defeated,  but  afterwards  were 
friends  of  their  opponents.  The  Mohegans  made  their  last  in- 
vasion in  August,  1669,  unsuccessfully  attacking  a  Mohawk  town. 
The  Oneidas  and  Onondagas  joined  the  Mohawks  and  invaded 
the  Mohegan  country  in  return,  with  even  smaller  results,  but  it 
led  to  peace.  The  Mohegans  were  called  Loups,  or  Wolves, 
this  being  the  meaning  of  their  name.  They  were  of  Algonquin 
stock,  and  kindred  to  the  Delawares. 


I04  NOTES    ON    CUSICK'S    SIX    NATIONS. 

Page  38.  The  Erie  war  has  been  described,  but  it  lasted 
only  a  year,  when  the  nation  disappeared  from  history.  Accord- 
ing to  one  story  they  fled  down  the  Allegany  river,  pursued  by 
the  Senecas,  who  found  them  encamped  on  an  island  in  far 
superior  numbers.  The  Senecas  landed  on  the  lower  side  of  a 
narrow  peninsula,  carried  their  canoes  across  and  laurjched  ihem 
again  in  the  stream  above.  Thus  their  force  seemed  to  contin- 
ually increase,  and  in  the  morning  ttie  Eries  had  forever  dis- 
appeared. The  Jesuits  said  that  the  Iroquois  destroyed  2,000 
Erie  warriors  in  their  own  intrenchments. 


©eneral   I^ote^. 


When  Cartier  sailed  up  the  St.  Lawrence  in  1535,  there  were 
scattered  bands  of  the  Huron-Iroquois  almost  to  its  mouth. 
One  fishing  party  which  he  met,  had  nets  of  native  hem]),  like 
those  of  the  New  York  Indians,  a  clear  evidence  of  their  early 
use.  Although  the  river  was  called  after  Hccheloga,  the  princi- 
pal Iroquois  town  at  Montreal,  the  land  of  Canada  properly 
began  but  little  below  Quebec.  The  sudden  contraction  of  the 
stream  there  gave  it  its  Algonquin  name  of  Quebeio.  or  Quebec, 
meaning  a  strait,  or  narrowing.  In  the  Abenaquis'  dialect  it  is 
Quelibec,  "  shut  up,"'  from  a  peculiarity  in  their  approach  to  it. 
At  that  time  the  Iroquois  and  Algonquins  were  friends,  the  tra- 
ditional rupture  having  not  yet  taken  place.  This  may  be  the 
reason  why  the  names  of  the  Indians  whom  Cartier  first  carrie;l 
to  France,  belonged  to  both  these  families,  and  this  also  may  ac- 


NOTES   ON    CUSICK's   SIX    NATIONS.  I05 

count  for  the  fact,  mentione'd  by  Charlevoix,  that  Cartier's,  Sag- 
hard's,  and  La  Hontan's  vocabularies  were  unreUable.  He  said* 
"  These  three  authors  took  at  random  a  few  words,  some  from 
the  Hurons,  and  others  from  the  Algonquin  tongues,  which  they 
very  ill  remembered,  and  which  often  signified  something  very 
different  from  what  they  imagined." 

Charlevoix  credits  the  prevalent  tradition,  that  the  Iroquois 
lived  on  the  St.  Lawrence,  gomg  to  New  York  after  the  breach 
with  the  Algoncjuins.  He  said,  ''  I  don't  pretend  to  vouch  for 
this  historical  piece,  though  1  have  it  from  pretty  good  hands." 

He  gives,  also,  a  tradition  of  Hochelaga.  According  to  this 
tiie  Onnont-charonnons,  or  J  roquet  nation,  lived  there,  and  were 
at  war  with  the  A'gonquins,  who  drew  them  into  an  ambush,  not 
a  man  e.scaping.  From  this  blow  they  never  recovered,  but 
Charlevoix  adds,  "It  is  pretended  that  the  Hurons  were  they 
who  drove  them  from  their  ancient  residence,  and  who  have  even 
in  part  destroyed  them,"  Others  give  some  particulars  of  the 
destruction  of  the  town.  These  may  have  been  incidents  of  the 
war,  but  Charlevoix  evidently  discredited  them,  saying,  "  The 
sole  point  of  their  history  which  has  come  down  clothed  with  any 
degree  of  probability,  is  the  origin  of  the  war,  which  Mons.  Cham- 
plain  found  kindled  between  the  Iroquois  on  one  side,  and  the 
Hurons  and  Algonquins  on  the  other." 

As  Governor  Burnett  quoted  this  account  from  De  la  Potherie, 
Colden  may  have  done  the  same.  Potherie  was  in  Canada  for 
several  years  previous  to  1700,  and  published  his  book  in  1722. 
Both  French  writers  may  have  had  the  tale  from  Nicholas  Per- 
rot,  who  lived  among  the  Indians  from  1665  to  1696,  and  who 
said  the  Iroquois  lived  at  Montreal  and  Three  Rivers  until  they 
fled  from  the  Algonquins.  After  fighting  against  the  Shawnees 
on  Lake  Erie,  they  settled  on  the  south  side  of  Lake  Ontario. 

The  Huron  war,  in  which  the  Algonquins  shared,  caused  the 
depopulation  of  a  large  region,  all  outlying  villages  being  aban 
doned.     Those  who  went  with  Champlain  a;^ainst  the  Mohawks 


ie6  NoiKs  ON  cusick'.s  six  naiions. 

in  1609,  tol'.l  him  thai  Vermont  mostly  belonged  to  that  nation, 
and  that  the  islands  in  Lake  Champlain  were  inhabited  before 
the  war.  Not  a  cabin  was  then  to  be  seen  between  the  St.  Law- 
rence and  the  Mohawk  valley.  A  few  years  pas? el,  aid  the 
Iroquois  laid  waste  the  most  populous  districts.  For  a  tune 
Canada  had  hardly  any  Indian  po|)ulation  left  east  of  Lake  Hu- 
ron. Pennsylvania  suffered  in  a  simi'ur  way.  'i'he  teriible  story 
•is  well  known,  for  the  F'ive  Nations  weie  the  most  re!eiU!ess  foes 
the  others  ever  had. 

On  the  auth.ority  of  a  lecent  Ojd)way  historian,  it  has  been 
claimed  that  the  Mohawks  made  a  tieaty  with  the  Ojibways  at 
the  Sault  Ste.  Marie,  centuries  before  this,  but  (leorge  Copway. 
also  a  chief,  places  it  after  the  Huron  overthrow,  where  it  \to\) 
erly  belongs.  Even  in  his  account  the  haitles  are  greatly  ex" 
aggeiated.  He  calls  those  engagetl  in  thes^e  treaties  and  ^kir- 
mi^hes,  Mohawks,  but  they  were  mostly  of  the  ether  nation?. 
The  once  arrogant  Hurons  came  humbly  to  the  Ojibways,  or 
Chippewas.  and  they  afforded  them  refuge  after  tht-ir  (!efea\ 
Skirmishes  and  treaties  followed  between  thei-e  and  the  Irocjuoi:-, 
ending  in  a  lasting  treaty,  the  rei^ult  being  that  the  Ojibwa)S 
gained  a  foothold  in  the  vacant  Huron  territory.  Those  called 
Mississaugas  fettled  on  the  north  side  of  Lake  Ontario,  and  even 
had  villages  in  New  York.  On  Mitchell's  map  of  1755,  theya.e 
placed  near  Seneca  lake,  with  the  note,  "removed  hereabouts." 

The  facts  are  all  against  an  early,  rather  than  a  lecent  treaty 
between  the  Iroquois  and  Ojibways.  No  crederce  can  be  given 
to  extended  Indian  estimates  of  time,  and  there  is  no  reason  to 
think  the  Iroquois  ever  met  the  wef  tern  Indians  until  the  Hurons 
were  conquered.  The  Eries,  Neutrals,  Hurons  and  Ottawas  lay 
directly  in  the  way.  This  great  barrier  removed,  the  war  and 
hunting  parties  of  the  Iroquois  went  westward  as  they  pleased, 
and  then  for  the  first  time  reached  the  vicinity  of  Lake  Superior, 
less  than  250  years  ago. 

It  is  curious  to  observe  the  eff'ect  of  the  great  Canadian  war 


NOTtS   ON    CISICKS    SIX    NATIONS.  I07 

upon  the  sitUutiun  of  villages.  Allusion  has  been  made  to  the 
withdrawal  and  concentration  of  Huron  towns.  In  New  York 
the  war  aftected  the  homes  of  the  Cayugas  and  Scnecas  very  lit 
tie.  The  Eries  were  their  kindred  and  friends,  and  the  Neutrals, 
maintaining  peace,  were  a  wall  between  them  and  the  Hurons, 
but  their  slight  knowledge  of  canoes  would  have  made  them  of 
little  account  had  the/  been  hostile.  Two  of  the  Five  Nations 
thus  passed  through  ti;e  war  in  absoluie  security.  Those  to  the 
east  had  to  be  more  on  their  guard.  Nothing  but  the  wilderness 
lay  beiwee  )  them  and  their  ties,  and  ihereibie  they  placed  their 
towns,  lor  a  time,  in  secluded  situations,  1  have  good  reasons 
for  supposing  the  town  attacked  by  Champlain,  in  1615,  to  have 
been  that  of  the  Oneidas.  It  certainly  was,  if  the  one  usually 
idenlitied  with  it.  In  any  case  it  was  far  from  any  navigable 
water,  high  up  among  the  hills.  The  Onondaga  town  of  the 
same  jjcriod,  was  also  iar  up  a  long  valley,  in  a  strong  position, 
but  one  which  vas  changed,  after  Champlain's  invasion,  for 
another  still  farther  south,  and  with  a  better  outlook.  As  the 
war  went  on  successfully,  and  they  lost  fear,  the  Onondaga  towns 
were  pushed  northward,  down  the  valley,  towards  the  open 
country,  until  the  principal  village  was  at  Indian  Hill,  when  the 
French  first  visited  them  in  1654.  Thence  they  went  to  a  place 
just  east  of  the  reservoir  near  Jamesville,  where  their  fort  and 
town  were  burned  in  1696;  removing  next  to  the  east  side  of 
Onor.daga  Valley,  and  gradually  crcssirg  to  the  west.  When 
Conrad  Weiser  was  there  in  1750,  he  lodged  as  usual,  "in  a 
house  which  r.ow  stood  by  itself,  the  rest  of  the  Onondargerg 
having  moved  ever  tl  e  cieek,  scn.e  a  mile,  two  mile.s,  three  miles 
off."  Sir  William  Jchnson  built  them  a  fort  on  the  west  side,  in 
1756,  half  a  mile  south  of  ihe  village  of  Onondaga  Valley.  Its 
stone  giaded  vay  )et  lemains,  with  tlie  cross  ditch.  The  In 
dian  cuitcm  was  to  n.ove  the  villages  when  wood  failed,  so  that 
this  occuiied  hequtntly,  and  the  number  of  kites  is  ro  index  of 
population. 


108  NOTES   ON   CUSICK's    SIX    NATKJNS. 

Similar  changes  the  Mohawks  made.  About  A.  I).  1600,  they 
had  but  two  villages;  one  of  these  being  ten  miles  north  of  the 
Mohawk;  the  other  four  miles  south  of  that  river.  As  they 
gained  confidence  and  strength  they  drew  nearer  the  stream,  and 
at  last  built  their  towns  on  its  banks.  It  is  interesting  to  go  from 
one  early  town  to  another,  and  see  how  their  fears  abated,  as  the 
war  went  on,  and  their  villages  increased.  As  with  the  others* 
a  large  proportion  of  the  captives  were  adopted,  and  made  Iro- 
quois perforce. 

The  eastern  Iroquois  had  not  the  noted  Feast  of  the  Dead, 
so  graphically  described  among  the  Hurons.  There  are  ossuaries 
in  Jefferson  county,  N.  Y.,  but  in  no  great  numbers.  Else- 
where in  New  York,  they  are  scarcely  found  east  of  the  Cayuga 
territory,  and  but  sparingly  there,  while  they  increase  in  number 
in  the  western  part  of  the  State.  If  early  writers  ever  ascribe 
this  practice  to  the  Iroquois,  it  must  be  understood  of  the  Cayu- 
gas  and  Senecas,  but  it  could  scarcely  have  been  a  recent  cus- 
tom among  them.  It  is  usual  to  speak  of  the  meeting  after  the 
Mohegan  attack  upon  the  Mohawks,  in  1669,  as  a  Dead  Feast, 
but  it  was  really  a  condolence,  somewhat  different  from  recent 
ones.  It  had  as  little  to  do  with  burial  as  the  present  Dead 
Feast,  which  is  a  gathering  of  women.  John  Buck,  wam])um 
keeper  of  the  Six  Nations  in  Canada,  describes  one  of  another 
kind,  which  reads  like  a  modern  seance.  His  relation  is  curious 
and  graphic,  and  was  sent  to  Hon.  George  S.  Conover,  of  Gen- 
eva, N.  Y.  The  letter  was  his  messenger,  and  a  string  of  wam- 
pum gave  it  official  sanction. 

"I  am  John  Buck's  messenger.  Therefore  listen.  John  Buck 
says  in  olden  times  of  my  forefathers  was  able  to  recall  their  de- 
parted relatives  to  see  them  again,  the  living  ones  will  make  one 
accord  whatever  the  number  they  may  be  will  get  a  feast  at  a. 
certain  house  for  the  dead  ones,  and  when  the  living  ones  will 
assemble  at  the  appointed  place  each  of  them  will  take  a  sliver 
off  the  bark  door  where  it   turns,   this   at  their  different    one's 


NOTES   ON    CUSICK's    SIX    NATIONS.  IO9 

houses,  and  enter  noiselessly  in  the  house  where  the  feast  is  spread 
out  for  the  dead,  and  they  will  now  alt  set  down  next  to  the  wall 
of  the  house  on  the  ground  all  round  the  house,  and  the  feast  is 
spread  out  in  the  centre  of  the  house,  and  one  is  appointed  as  a 
speaker  to  address  the  (iieat  Creator  at  intervals  he  would  throw 
an  Indian  Tobacco  on  the  fire,  he  will  ask  the  Creator  to  send 
their  dead  relatives,  for  they  are  desirous  to  see  theui  again,  and 
when  he  ends  it,  his  speaking,  he  will  sit  down  again,  and  they 
will  let  the  fire  go  down  till  the  light  cea  ;es,  so  that  in  the  house 
becomes  dark  and  no  one  is  allowed  to  speak  or  to  make  any 
noise,  and  in  a  little  while  they  will  have  people  coming  outside, 
and  they  will  enter  the  house  and  will  set  themselves  around  the 
spread  feast,  and  the  assembled  living  ones  will  wait  till  the  dead 
ones  a;e  about  done  eating,  then  the  living  ones  will  kindle  the 
slivers  of  bark  which  they  have  brought  with  them,  and  the  dea:l 
are  now  seen  through  this  light.  Here  is  the  string  of  wampum. 
"  So  dear  friend  according  what  I  have  learned  by  of  your  let- 
ter which  you  sent  and  I  have  received,  therefore  1  have  wrote 
to  you  now  of  the  above.  I  am  your  friend. 

Chief  John  Buck. 
F'ire  keeper  of  Six  Nations  of  Indians,  C'anada." 
It  was  a  prevalent  idea  that  the  dead  liked  the  good  food  of 
this  world,  and  this  v.as  often  placed  on  graves.  If  it  disap- 
l)eared, — and  the  dogs  took  care  of  that, — it  was  suppo?;ed  to  be 
eaten  by  the  dead.  Among  the  Onondagas  both  species  of  Di- 
centra,  (squirrel  corn)  are  known  as  Hah  ska-nah-ho-ne-hah, 
^  Ghost  corn,"  or  food  for  ghosts.  The  Hurons  thought  the  5;oul 
lingered  near  the  body  until  the  P'east  of  the  Dead,  and  some- 
thing of  this  belief  n:ay 'remain  among  the  Iroquois  still.  In 
general  they  held  to  a  place  far  westward,  the  way  to  which  was 
beset  with  difficulties,  and  wl^eie  there  were  ."-eparate  abodes  for 
the  good  and  bad.  Atahenstic  rules  the  evil  place,  and  Jouskeka 
the  happy  home.  Some  of  their  stories  are  much  like  those  of 
the  Greeks  and  Romans. 


1 10  NOTES   ON    CUSICK's   SIX    NATIONS. 

Spirits  might  do  them  harm,  especially  those  of  the  captives 
whom  they  had  burned.  When  Greenhalgh  visited  the  Senecas, 
In  1677,  he  saw  a  frequent  custom  after  tortures.  Speaking  of 
the  captives,  he  wrote,  ''  This  day  was  burnt  two  women  and  a 
man,  and  a  child  killed  with  a  stone.  Att  night  we  heard  a  great 
noise  as  if  ye  houses  had  all  fallen,  butt  itt  was  onely  ye  Inhab- 
itants driving  away  ye  ghosts  of  ye  murthered."  Burning  of 
women  was  rather  a  marked  feature  among  the  Iroquois,  though 
they  otherwise  treated  their  female  captives  fairly  well. 

In  some  respects  the  Huron  and  Iroquois  customs  at  death 
were  much  alike.  Death  was  expected,  and  where  it  was  certain* 
prei)arations  were  made  for  it,  the  burial  clothes  being  sometimes 
put  on  before  death.  When  Garacontie  died  at  Onondaga,  in 
1676,  he  invited  the  sachems  and  chiefs  to  his  death  banquet,  at 
which  he  made  his  parting  address.  This  was  a  frequent  thing. 
Among  the  Hurons  interment  was  usually  made  on  the  third  day, 
and  often  in  a  scaffold  tomb.  This  kept  in  view  the  final  inter- 
ment at  the  great  feast  of  the  dead.  I  know  of  no  such  custom 
at  Onondaga'*.  The  Hurons  buried  at  once  those  who  had  been 
drowned,  or  slain  in  battle.  They  also  thought  that  under  cer- 
tain circumstances  chikh-en  could  be  born  a  second  time.  The 
great  mourning  lasted  ten  days,  with  many  signs  of  grief;  the 
lesser  continued  for  a  year. 

The  great  Feast  of  the  Dead,  among  the  Hurons,  came  every 
ten  or  twelve  years,  but  was  known  as  the  Feast  of  the  Kettle, 
good  living  being  a  feature  of  the  occasion.  To  has-ten  the  feast, 
they  spoke  of  stirring  up  the  fire  under  the  kettle  ;  and  when  the 
kettle  was  said  to  be  overturned,  it  meant  tliat  there  would  be  no 
feast.  When  the  time  was  appointed,  each  family  bore  its  own 
dead  from  the  i)lace  of  burial,  and  when  the  graves  were  opened 
all  the  bodies  were  left  awhile  on  the  ground,  to  be  seen  by  the 
friends.  Then  they  were  covered  with  rew  beaver  robes,  and 
carried  to  the  houses,  where  each  family  had  a  feast  for  its  own 
dead.     The  bones  were  called  Atisken,  ''  the  souls,"  each  man 


NOIES   ON    CUSICK's    S.X    NATIONS.  Ill 

having  two  souls.  One  left  the  body  at  death,  but  remained  near 
u  itil  the  great  feast ;  then  it  either  became  a  turtle-dove,  or  went 
to  the  village  of  souls.  The  other  was  attached  to  the  body, 
never  leaving  it  unless  it  revived  as  a  new  born  child.  This  is 
why  the  bones  of  the  dead  were  called  "  the  souls." 

Before  leaving  the  town  for  the  great  feast  in  the  principal  vil- 
lage, all  the  bodies  were  carried  to  the  largest  cabin,  and  a  feast 
was  held  there.  At  the  close  of  this  all  imitated  the  cry  of  the 
spirits,  which  is  /la-e-e,  /ta-e,  and  this  was  repeated  all  the  way  to 
the  principal  village,  the  journey  being  by  short  stages  of  about 
three  miles  a  day.  In  1636,  Father  Brebeuf  said  that  the  dead 
of  eight  or  nine  villages  were  taken  to  Os-sos-sa-ne,  and  he  was 
lodged  "  in  a  cabin  where  there  were  at  least  a  hundred  skeletons 
hung  up  to  the  poles,  some  of  which  smelled  stronger  than  musk."' 
For  several  days  games  and  distributions  of  gifts  occupied  the 
time,  but  at  last  the  procession  was  formed,  the  men  leading,  and 
the  women  following.  The  grave  was  about  ten  feet  deep,  and 
thirty  across,  with  a  scaffold  around  it.  having  poles  on  which  to  • 
hang  the  bundles  of  bones.  Part  of  these  were  lowered  into  the 
pit  about  sundown,  being  arranged  by  men  at  the  bottom.  But 
few  of  tlie  gifts  were  placed  in  the  grave,  and  these  were  not 
aB  serviceable.  The  'mourners  feasted  there  that  night,  that  the 
work  might  be  completed  next  morning,  but  an  accident  about 
daybreak  hastened  this,  and  caused  a  terrible  sight.  This  is  the 
origin  of  the  ossuaries,  of  which  there  are  about  150  known  in 
Canada,  mostly  recent.  In  New  York  they  are  comparatively 
rare. 

Some  touching  features  will  be  found  in  early  accounts  of  Iro- 
quois deaths  and  funerals,  but  these  also  changed  greatly,  until 
burial  becan.e  somewhat  hasty,  and  with  but  little  show  of  feel- 
ing. A  New  York  Indian  cemetery  of  the  present  day  has  noth- 
ing to  indicate  love  for  the  dead,  and  funerals  are  of  the  simplest 
character.  * 

In  the  relation   of  1670,  is  a  curious  and   pathetic  incident. 


112  NOTES   UN    CUSICKS    SIX    NATIONS. 

P'ather  Fremin  ha.l  baptized  a  young  Seneca  woman  in  1669,  who 
a.'^tcrwards  died.  He  tried  to  comfort  the  mother,  who  said, 
"Tiiou  dost  not  understand.  She  was  a  mistress  here,  and  had 
at  her  command  more  than  twenty  slaves,  who  are  still  with  me, 
Slie  never  knew  what  it  was  to  go  to  the  forests  to. bring  wood, 
or  to  the  river  to  draw  water.  She  knew  nothing  about  house- 
keeping." So  her  mother  was  troubled  as  to  her  state  in  Para- 
dise, wliere  none  of  her  family  had  gone.  She  wanted  a  sick 
slave  instructed  and  baptized,  that  she  might  go  there  and  take 
care  of  her  daughter.  This  shows  how  rich  some  Iroquois  were, 
and  that  they  did  hold  slaves,  though  Golden  said  they  did  not. 

Albert  Cusick  suggested  to  me  that  the  girl  might  be  one  of 
the  hidden  persons.  The  old  people  tell  of  those  called  Ta-neh- 
u-weh-too.  Hidden  in  the  husks.,  like  an  ear  of  corn.  They  were 
said  to  be  covered  in  the  husk,  if  kept  from  the  sight  of  all,  and 
were  thus  puie  from  birth,  being  at  once  hidden  by  the  mother. 
If  a  boy  and  girl  were  thus  preserved,  they  might  marry  each 
other  at  a  suitable  age. 

The  Iroquois  of  two  hundred  years  ago  saw  much  more  than 
his  descendant  of  to-day.  The  forests  were  full  of  spirits,  good 
and  bad,  and  these  he  was  careful  to  propitiate.  Tobacco  was 
the  customary  offering,  and  is  supposed  to  bring  good  fortune 
stdl.  The  lower  animals  were  related  to  him,  and  these  must  be 
pleased,  even  if  he  slew  and  fed  upon  them.  Of  the  higher  di- 
vinities the  accounts  are  as  confuted  as  among  early  nations  of 
the  old  world,  but  each  man  suited  himself,  as  long  as  he  kept 
the  prescribed  feasts.  He  had  his  own  guardian  spirit,  and  this 
seemed  more  important  than  the  Holder  of  the  Heavens. 

The  belief  in  fairies  is  not  very  conspicuous,  but  everywhere 
])revails,  and  there  had  their  favorite  places  of  resort.  Those  of 
the  Onondagas  live  in  a  ravine  just  west  of  the  village  of  Onon- 
daga Valley,  and  are  called  Che-kah-a-hen  wah,  or  "  Little  peo- 
ple." The  Tuscaroras  term  them  Ehn  kwa-si-yea,  "  No  men  at 
all ; "  meaning   something   besides  men.      The   Mohawks   call 


NOTliS   OX    CUSICK'S    SIX    NATIONS.  II3 

them  Ya!.-ko  nen  usyok?,  "Stone  throwers,"  and  to  this  an  old 
sto:"/  may  re'ate,  of  an  incident  on  Lake  Champlain.  It  is  con- 
tained 111  the  Relation  of  1668.  Fathers  Fremin,  Pierron,  and 
Bruyai  were  on  their  way  to  the  Mohawks  in  July,  1667.  When 
a  little  north  of  Ticonderoga,  they  said,  "  We  halted,  without 
knowing  why  until  we  observed  our  savages  gathering  from  the 
shore  pieces  of  flint,  nearly  all  cut  in  shape.  We  did  not  give 
this  any  thought  at  the  time,  but  afterwards  learned  the  mystery, 
since  our  Iroquois  told  us  that  they  never  failed  to  stop  at  this 
place  to  pay  homage  to  a  nation  of  invisible  men,  who  dwelt  here 
under  the  water,  and  are  occupied  in  preparing  flints,  all  but  ready 
for  use  for  the  passers-by,  provided  that  they  in  turn  meet  their 
obligations  by  making  them  an  offering  of  tobacco ;  if  they  give 
much,  there  comes  in  return  a  great  abundance  of  these  flints. 
These  watermen  go  in  the  canoe,  like  the  Iroquois,  and  when  the 
leader  comes  to  throw  himself  into  the  water  to  enter  his  palace, 
he  makes  such  a  noise  that  it  fills  with  terror  those  who  have  no 
knowledge  of  this  great  genius  and  his  diminutive  men."  The 
missionaries  accounted  naturally  for  the  supply,  for  "  when  the 
wind  comes  from  across  the  lake,  it  casts  upon  the  shore  quan- 
ties  of  flint  ready  to  strike  fire." 

This  seems  to  have  some  relation  to  the  story  told  by  Golden 
in  speaking  of  the  drowning  of  Corlaer,  whose  name  the  Indians 
gave  to  Lake  Champlain.  It  may  be  noted  that  Split  Rock 
marked  the  northern  boundary  of  the  Mohawks,  and  was  called 
by  them  Regiohne,  after  Rogeo,  one  of  their  chiefs  who  was 
drowned  there.  "  There  is  a  rock  in  this  lake,  on  which  the 
waves  dash  and  fly  up  to  a  great  height,  when  .  the  wind  blows 
hard ;  the  Indians  believe  that  an  old  Indian  lives  under  the  rock, 
who  has  the  power  of  the  winds ;  and  therefore,  all  that  pass  it 
in  their  voyages  over,  they  always  throw  a  pipe,  or  some  other 
small  present  to  the  old  Indian,  or  pray  for  a  favorable  wind. 
The  English  that  pass  sometimes  laugh  at  this,  but  they  are  sure 
to  be  told  of  Corlaer's  death,"  who  wantonly  ridiculed  it. 


114  NOTES   ON    CUSICK's    SIX    NATIONS. 

While  this  rock  was  called  after  the  Mohawk  chief,  some  late 
writers  have  interpreted  Rotsiichni,  another  name  of  the  lake,  as 
"the  coward  spirit."  This  interpretation  may  have  come  froTii 
the  legend. 

The  Onondaga  fairies  did  not  often  appear,  but  quietly  helped 
the  people  in  Robin  Goodfellow  fashion.  In  the  ravine  is  an 
exposed  and  precipitous  bank  of  bowlder  clay,  which  they  have 
worn  smooth  in  sliding  down.  They  hked  the  bounce  when  they 
went  over  a  projecting  stone. 

Cartier  was  the  first  white  man  who  came  in  contact  with  any 
of  the  Huron  Iroquois  family,  and  his  voyage  up  the  St.  Law- 
rence was  full  of  interest.  The  grotesque  demons  brought  out 
to  terrify  him,  Mere  not  very  different  from  the  False  Faces  which 
John  Bartram  saw  at  Onondaga  a  century  and  a  half  ago,  and 
which  appear  there  now.  The  ceremonious  meeting  aud  wel- 
come at  a  distance  from  the  walls  of  Hochelaga,  are  often  found 
in  history,  and  yet  imitated  in  the  condolence  ceremonies. 
The  bark  recejjtacles  for  their  provisions  were  found  by  the 
French,  more  than  a  century  later,  among  the   Mohawks;  and 

still  later,  seme  of  unusual  size  were  mif  taken  by  them  for  lowers, 
as  they  advanced  to  assault  a  Seneca  town.     Other  points  of  re- 

seniblance  appear.     While  his  de.'cnption  of  the  triple  stockade 

is  much   like  that  of  N.  Y.  Iroquois  forts,  heaps  of  intones  have 

I  een  fcurd  within  the  lines  of  the^e,  gathered  for  ammunition. 

His  dercription  of  their  beads,  generally  fujjpoFed  to  have 
been  of  shell,  has  puzzled  many.  They  nay  have  been  of  other 
material,  but  his  account  is  quoted.  "The  thing  most  precious 
that  they  have  in  all  the  world  they  call  Esurgny;  which  is  white 
and  which  they  take  in  the  said  river  in  Comibots.  in  the  man- 


NOTES   ON   CUSICKS   SIX    NATIONS.  US 

ner  following.  When  any  one  hath  deserved  death,  or  that  they 
take  any  of  their  enemies  in  warre?,  first  they  kill  him,  then  with 
certain  knives  they  give  great  slashes  and  strokes  upon  their  but- 
tocks, flankes,  thighes  and  shoulders ;  then  they  cast  the  same 
bodie  so  mangled  downe  to  the  bottome  of  the  river,  in  a  place 
where  the  said  Esurgny  is,  and  there  leave  it  ten  or  twelve  houres, 
then  they  take  it  up  againe,  and  in  the  cuts  find  the  said  esurgny 
or  cornibots.  Of  them  they  make  beads,  and  use  them  even 
as  we  doe  gold  and  silver,  accounting  it  the  preciousest  thing  in 
the  world.  They  have  this  vertue  in  them,  they  will  stop  or 
stanch  bleeding  at  the  nose,  for  we  proved  it.'' 

The  story  seems  absurd,  for  bodies  of  any  kind  would  have 
served  as  well  as  those  of  men.  Charlevoix  said  that  no  shells 
were  there,  in  his  time,  capable  of  stopping  bleeding.  Sir  J.  W. 
Dawson  supposed  they  were  "some  of  our  species  of  Melania 
or  Pa/iuiinay  Both  thefe  are  vegetable  feeding  water  snails, 
however,  and  of  course  would  not  be  taken  in  this  way;  neither 
would  they  need  to  be.  for  both  live  close  to  the  shore ;  the  for- 
mer aboundmg  on  stores,  and  the  latter  in  mud.  Neither  of 
them  are  white,  but  the  former  would  make  fair  beads.  Mr. 
Dawson  also  adds  that  "That  the  wampum  of  the  Iroquois,  and 
ako  of  the  Hcchelagans,  was  made  of  freshwater  univalves, 
I'robably  the  Mclaiiia.  They  aho  giound  into  perforated  discs 
for  beads,  the  pearly  shells  of  fre.>-h  water  Unios."  I  never  yet 
h.ave  found  a  perforated  Melania,  ( Gtniobasis,)  and  n«ver  have 
known  of  one.  Mr.  Dawson  informs  me  that  there  are  none 
at  Montreal.  In  New  York  I  have  found  but  one  disk  Unio 
bead,  though  they  occur  in  the  West.  Mr.  Dawson  gives  a  fig- 
ure of  a  smaller  one  from  Montreal,  the  only  one  he  obtained 


^^^  NOTES    ON    CUSICK's    SIX    NATIONS. 

there.  Mr.  S.  L.  Frey,  of  Palatine  Bridge,  N.  Y.,  has  a  similar 
one  from  the  earliest  Mohawk  village.  These  three  are  sufficient 
to  prove  their  manufacture,  but  in  a  very  sparing  way.  For  rea- 
sons Hke  these  I  think  the  Esurgny  of  other  material. 

I  simply  hazard  the  conjecture  that  they  might  have  been  the 
eyestones  of  the  common  fresh  water  crayfish.  The  puzzling 
word  "cornibots,"  suggesting  horns,  might  have  been  a  provincial 
name  by  which  Cartier  knew  these  small  crustaceans,  but  we  can 
only  surmise  this.  Coarser  shell  beads  the  Canadian  Indians 
seem  to  have  had  at  an  early  day,  to  a  limited  extent,  and  in  the 
Iroquois  territory  they  were  known,  but  were  very  rare.  Stone 
and  clay  beads  sometimes  occur. 


Iroqvioi^   l^jote^. 


•     *       INDIAN  FASHIONS. 

WE  know  that  there  are  savage  fashions,  but  forget  that 
these  have  changes.  The  woven  armor  which  the  Mo- 
hawk chiefs  wore,  when  Champlain  first  met  them,  naturally  dis- 
appeared as  firearms  came  into  use.  Bows  and  arrows  partially 
gave  way  to  guns,  and  wheie  these  were  retained,  copper  and 
iron  arrow  heads  took  the  place  of  flint,  horn,  and  bone.  Brass 
kettles  were  found  better  than  earthenware,  and  blankets  were 
more  showy  and  convenient  than  bear-skins.  These  and  other 
things  were  in  the  direction  of  utility,  but  there  were  many 
changes  in  ornaments.  Venetian  and  other  glass  and  porcelain 
beads  became  common,  and  rings,  bracelets  and  medals  of  brass, 
copper  and  bronze  were  largely  used.  Gorgets  of  shell,  and 
pendants  and  ornaments  of  red  slate  and  Catlinite  came  into 
fashion.  These  were  long  in  me,  but  the  metallic  ornaments 
changed  early  in  the  eighteenth  century  and  silver  was  almost 
universally  used  for  nearly  two  hundred  years  not  having  been 
yet  entirely  laid  asic'e.  The^e  were  at  first  sold  by  the  traders, 
the  Indians  esteeming  the  F-nglish  article  more  than  the  French, 
but  the  Indians  themselves  learned  the  art,  and  made  what  they 
wanted  cut  of  silver  coin.  These  ornaments  went  all  over  the 
country,  and  the  New  York  patterns  have  been  found  in  Canada 
VVitconsin,  Illinois,  Ohio  and  Georgia.     My  own  small  collection 


IlS  NOIKS    ON    CUSICK.  S    SIX    NATIONS. 

comprises  single  and  (loiible  crorsef,  star?,  lyres,  hearts,  rings, 
circular  disks,  Masonic  emblems,  etc.,  with  rings,  ear-rings  and 
bracelets.  They  have  now  become  scarce,  and  will  soon  dis- 
appear. 

Loskiel  said  that  the  Iroquois  of  his  day  set  the  fa.shion  in 
matters  of  dress,  having  means  and  leisure  for  this,  as  well  as 
high  rank.  So  to  speak,  they  were  the  Parisians  of  the  red  men, 
and  their  holiday  dresses  were  often  very  costly.  Now,  the 
women,  while  preferring  the  tasteful  and  convenient  shawl  for 
home  use,  have  (luite  an  aptitude  for  white  fashions.  The  men 
adopted  them  long  ago,  retaining  something  for  state  occasions. 


DREAMS.  , 

In  the  Relation  of  1656,  Father  de  Carheil  gave  some  in- 
stances of  the  influence  of  dreams  among  the  Cayugas,  and  the 
excesses  to  which  they  led,  sometimes  involving  the  loss  of  life. 
He  said,  "I  have  earnestly  combated  their  superstitions,  espe- 
cially the  divine  authority  they  attribute  to  dreams,  which  may 
be  said  to  be  the  foundation  of  all  their  errors,  as  it  is  the  soul 
of  their  religion.  I  have  nevertheless  recognized  two  things  in 
my  efiorts  to  combat  it.  First  that  it  is  not  properly  the  dream 
that  they  worship  as  the  master  of  their  life,  but  a  certain  one  of 
the  genii,  they  call  Agatkonchoria,  who,  they  believe,  speak  to 
them  in  sleep,  and  command  them  to  obey  imi)licitly  their  dreams. 
The  principal  one  of  these  spirits  is  Taronhiaouagon.  *  *  * 
*  *  They  ako  sometimes  give  the  name  of  master  of  their  life 
to  the  object  of  their  dream,  as  for  example,  to  the  skin  of  a 
bear,  or  to  similar  things  which  they  have  seen  in  their  sleep  ; 
and  because  they  regard  them  as  charms."  The  second  thing 
was  that  they  thought  the  soul  left  the  body  during  sleep,  and 
went  off  to  see  the  things  of  which  it  dreamed. 

In  one  instance  ten  men  plunged  successively  through  a  hole 
in  the  ice  on  the  river,  and  all  came  out  at  another  hole  but  the 


NOTES   ON    CUSICKS    SIX    NATIONS.  H9 

last,  who  was  drowned.  In  another  a  maiden  was  about  to  be 
sacrificed  to  fulfill  a  dream,  when  the  dreamer  said,  "  I  am  con- 
tent; my  dream  is  satisfied." 

When  Dablon  and  Chaumonot  were  on  their  way  to  Onon- 
daga in  1655,  they  were  much  alarmed  by  the  first  effects  of  an 
Indian's  dreams.  To  cure  him  "they  all  pretended  to  be  as 
mail  as  himself,  and  to  fight  with  the  animals  living  in  the  water. 
They  also  prepared  to  sweat  themselves,  so  as  to  get  him  to  do 
like  them.  As  he  cried  and  sung  aloud  during  the  process  of 
sweating,  imitating  the  cry  of  the  animals  with  which  he  was 
fighting,  so  they  also  began  to  cry  and  sing  aloud  the  cries  of 
those  animals  which  they  jjretended  to  be  fighting,  every  one 
striking* the  poor  fellow  in  the  cadence  of  their  song.  Imagine 
what  a  chorus  of  twenty  voices,  imitating  ducks,  teal,  and  frogs, 
ar.d  what  a  sight  to  see  ^o  many  men  ]»reteniling  to  be  mad  in 
order  to  cure  a  uiadman.     They  succeeded  well." 


THE  DRKAM  FEAST. 

The  Dream  Feast  intensified  all  the  follies  of  the  ordmary 
dream,  for  the  whole  nation  had  a  i)art.  The  war  feast  had  taken 
place  in  January,  1656,  at  Onondaga,  and  the  following  month 
Father  Dablon  described  the  Honnonouaioria,  which  the  chiefs 
shortened  at  that  time,  out  of  regard  to  the  safety  of  the  French. 

"It  began  with  the  2 2d  of  February,  and  lasted  three  days. 
Immediately  on  the  i)roclamation  of  the  Feast  by  the  old  men  of 
the  village,  to  whom  this  duty  is  intrusted,  the  whole  population, 
men,  women  and  children,  rush  from  their  cabins  through  the 
streets  in  the  wildest  confusion,  but  by  no  means  after  the  man- 
ner of  an  European  marquerade.  1  he  larger  part  are  nearly 
naked,  and  seem  insensible  to  cold  which  is  almost  intolerable 
to  the  warmly  clad.  Certain  ones  carry  with  them  a  -plentiful 
siij)ply  of  water,  and  it  may  be  something  more  hurtful  to  throw 
upon  thof:e  who  coir.e  in  their  way.     Others  seize  fire-brands, 


I20  NOTES   ON    CUSICK  S    SIX    NATIONS. 

live  coals  with  ashes,  which  they  fling  about  without  regard  to 
consequences.  Others  still  occupy  themselves  in  breaking  pots, 
plates,  and  the  small  household  utensils  they  happened  to  en- 
counter. A  number  are  armed  with  swords,  spears,  knives, 
hatchets,  clubs,  acting  as  if  they  would  hurl  these  at  the  first 
comer ;  and  this  is  kept  up  until  some  one  is  able  to  interpret 
and  execute  the  dream. 

"  It  sometimes  happens,  however,  that  the  skill  of  each  and 
all  fails  him  in  divining  their  meaning,  since  instead  of  propos- 
ing the  matter  i)lainly,  they  rather  hide  it  in  enigma,  chanting  a 
jumble  of  doubtful  words,  or  gesticulate  in  silence  as  in  panto- 
mime. Therefore  they  do  not  always  find  an  (Edipus  to  solve 
the  riddle.  At  the  same  time  they  obstinately  persist  in  theif  de- 
mand that  the  dream  shall  be  made  known,  and  if  the  diviner  is 
too  slow,  or  unwilling  to  risk  an  interpretation,  or  makes  the  least 
mistake,  they  threaten  to  burn  and  destroy.  Nor  are  these 
empty  threats,  as  we  found  to  our  cost.  One  of  these  mad  fel- 
lows, shpping  into  our  cabin,  boisterously  demanded  that  we 
should  tell  his  dream,  and  that  at  all  hazards  he  must  be  satisfied. 
Now  though  we  declared  in  the  outset  that  we  were  not  there  to 
obey  these  dreams,  he  kept  up  his  noise  and  gabble  long  after 
we  had  left  the  spot,  and  retired  to  a  lodge  in  the  open  field  to 
avoid  the  tumult.  At  last  one  of  those  with  whom  we  lodged, 
wearied  with  his  outcry,  went  to  see  what  would  satisfy  him.  The 
furious  creature  answered :  •  I  kill  a  Frenchman ;  that  is  my 
dream,  and  it  must  be  done  at  any  sacrifice.'  Our  host  then  threw 
him  a  French  dress,  as  though  the  clothes  of  the  dead  man,  at  the 
same  time  assuming  a  Hke  fury,  saying  that  he  would  avenge  the 
Frenchman's  death,  and  that  his  loss  would  be  that  of  the  whole 
village,  which  he  would  lay  in  ashes,  beginning  with  his  own 
cabin.  On  this  he  drove  out  parents,  friends,  servants,the  whole 
crowd  assembled  to  see  the  end  of  this  hubbub.  Left  alone  in 
his  house,  he  bolted  the  door  and  set  fire  everywhere  to  the  in- 
terior.    At  the  instant  the  spectators  looked  to  see  the  cabin  in 


NOTF.S   ON    CUSICK'S    SIX    NATIONS.  121 

flames,  Father  Chaumonot,  on  an  errand  of  mercy,  arrived,  and 
seeing  the  snjoke  coming  from  the  bark  house,  exclaimed,  '  This 
must  not  be,' — burst  open  the  dt)or,  threw  himself  into  the  smoke 
and  flames,  subdued  the  fire,  and  quietly  drew  out  our  host  from 
his  peril,  contrary  to  the  expectation  of  the  whole  people,  who 
had  thought  the  demon  of  dreams  irresistible.  The  man,  how- 
ever, continued  to  show  his  fury.  He  ran  through  the  streets 
and  cabins,  shouting  at  the  top  of  his  voice  that  everything  should 
be  set  on  fire  to  avenge  the  death  of  the  Frenchman,  They 
then  offered  him  a  dog  as  a  victim  to  his  anger  and  to  the  god 
of  his  passion.  Mt  is  not  enough,'  said  he,  'to  efface  the  dis- 
grace and  infamy  of  trying  to  slay  a  Frenchman  lodged  in  my 
house."  They  then  made  hmi  a  second  offering  like  the  first, 
when  he  at  once  became  quiet,  and  went  off  as  if  nothing  had 
happened.  «« 

"  It  is  to  be  remarked,  in  passmg,  that  as  in  their  wars  they 
make  more  of  the  spoil  taken  from  the  prisoner  than  they  do  of 
his  life,  so  when  one  dreams  that  he  must  kill  any  one,  he  is 
often  content  with  the  clothes  of  the  one  to  be  slain,  in  place  of 
his  person.  Thus  it  was  that  the  Frenchman's  dress  was  given 
to  the  dreamer,  with  which  he  was  entirely  appeased.  But  to 
paj^s  to  other  instances.  The  brother  of  our  host  had  also  a 
part  in  the  performance  quite  as  prominent  as  any  of  the  others. 
He  arrayed  himself  to  personate  a  Sat\r,  covering  himself  from 
head  to  foot  with  hufcks  of  Indian  corn.  He  dressed  up  two 
women  as  veritable  Furies,  with  their  hair  parted,  their  faces 
blackened  with  charcoal,  each  covered  with  the  skinofawoli 
and  aimed  wiih  a  light  and  a  heavy  stick.  The  Satyr  and  his 
companions  thus  equij  ped,  came  about  our  cabin,  singing  and 
howling  with  all  their  might.  He  ascended  the  roof,  followed 
by  the  shrews  and  there  played  a  thousand  antics,  shouting  and 
screaming  as  if  everything  was  going  to  destruction.  This  done, 
he  came  down  and  walked  soberly  through  the  village,  preceded 


122  NOTES   ON   CUSICK'S   SIX    NATIONS. 

by  these  women,  who  cleared  the  way  with  their  sticks,  breaking 
whatever  lay  in  their  way  without  distinction.  •  •  •  • 
Hardly  had  our  Satyr  disappeared,  with  his  companions,  when  a 
woman  threw  herself  into  our  cabin,  armed  with  an  arquebuse. 
which  she  had  obtained  with  her  dream.  She  sang,  shouted, 
screamed,  declaring  that  she  was  goipg  to  war  against  the  Cat 
nation ;  that  she  would  fight  and  bring  back  prisoners,  callmg 
down  a  thousand  imprecations  and  maledictions  if  the  thing  did 
not  come  out  as  she  had  dreamed. 

"A  warrior  followed  this  Amazon,  armed  with  a  long  bow, 
arrows  and  spear  in  hand.  He  danced,  he  sang,  he  threatened, 
then  all  at  once  rushed  at  a  woman  who  was  just  coming  into 
the  cabin  to  see  the  comedy,  and  contented  himself  with  seizing 
her  by  the  hair  and  placing  the  si)ear  at  her  throat,  careful  le.st 
he  should  inflict  any  wound,  and  then  retired  to  give  place  to  a 
prophet,  who  had  dreamed  that  it  was  in  his  jiower  to  discover 
secrets.  He  was  most  ridiculously  dressed,  holding  in  his  hand 
a  sort  of  rod,  which  served  him  to  point  out  the  spot  where  the 
thing  was  concealed.  It  was  yet  needful  that  he  should  have  an 
assistant,  who  carried  a  vase  filled  with  I  know  not  what  kind  of 
liquor,  of  which  he  would  take  a  mouthful,  and  sputter  or  blow  it 
out  on  the  head,  the  face,  the  hands,  and  on  the  rod  of  the  di- 
viner, who  after  this  never  failed  to  discover  the  matter  in  ques- 
tion. 

"  Next  came  a  woman  with  a  mat,  which  she  held  in  her  hand, 
and  moved  about  as  if  she  were  catching  fish.  This  was  to  in- 
dicate that  they  had  to  give  her  some  fish  because  of  her  dream. 
Another  woman  simply  hoed  up  the  ground  with  a  mattock,  which 
meant  that  some  one  should  give  her  a  piece  of  land  that  she 
thought  was  justly  hers.  She  was  satisfied,  however,  with  the 
possession  of  five  holes  in  which  to  plant  Indian  corn. 

"One  of  the  principal  men  of  the  village  presented  himself  in 
a  miserable  plight.  He  was  all  covered  with  ashes ;  and  because 
no  one  had  told  his  dream,  which  demanded  two  human  hearts. 


NOTES   ON    CUISCKS    SIX    NATIONS.  ItJ 


• 


he  succeeded  in  prolonging  the  feast  for  a  day  and  a  night,  and 
during  that  time  did  not  cease  the  repetition  of  his  madness.  He 
came  to  our  cabin,  where  there  were  a  number  of  fires,  and  seat- 
ing himself  before  the  first,  threw  into  the  air  the  ashes  and  coals. 
He  repeated  this  at  the  second  and  third  fireplace ;  but  when  he 
came  to  our  fire  he  refrained  from  this  act  out  of  respect  to  us. 

"  Some  came  fully  armed,  and  as  if  actually  engaged  rn  combat, 
they  went  through  the  positions,  the  war  cry,  the  skirmish,  as 
when  two  armies  meet  each  other.  Others  marched  in  bands, 
danced,  and  put  on  all  the  contortions  of  body,  like  those  with 
evil  possessions.  But  we  would  never  get  through  with  the  tale 
if  we  chose  to  rehearse  all  that  was  done  through  the  three  days 
and  nights  in  which  this  folly  lasted,  with  one  constant  uproar, 
in  which  one  could  not  so  much  as  think  of  a  moment's  repose." 

I  have  quoted  this  early  account  because  the  Dream  Feast  is 
a  very  quiet  affair  now,  though  fifty  years  ago  it  had  some  wild 
features.  When  the  burning  of  the  white  dog  was  added  we 
cannot  say,  but  the  other  nations  seem  to  have  received  )^  from 
the  Senecas  during  the  eighteenth  century,  nor  is  there  any  no- 
tice of  it  among  them  until  the  latter  half  of  that  period. 


HOUSES. 

In  the  account  of  the  early  Onondaga  Dream  Feast,  several 
fires  are  mentioned  in  one  cabin,  for  sometimes  these  were  of 
considerable  length,  and  had  several  fires  for  divisions  of  the 
family  or  their  lodgers.  In  this  case  one  person  was  called  their 
host,  having  his  parents  and  servants  in  his  house.  The  chiefs 
had  these  large  houses,  because  their  doors  were  ojjen  to  all,  but 
the  common  people  required  less  room,  as  is  easily  proved.  Mr. 
L.  H.  Morgan  described  the  council  house  of  1743,  as  though  it 
had  been  an  ordinary  dwelling,  at  a  time  when  Bartram  said  that 
many  of  the  Onondaga  houses  contained  two  families.  At  that 
time  the  Seneca  and  Onondaga  council  houses  were  about  eighty 


124  NOTES    ON    CUSICK's    SIX    NATIONS. 

« 

feet  long,  with  broad  seats  on  either  side.  To  test  the  average 
capacity  of  Iroquois  houses  one  may  simply  divide  Greenhalgh's 
report  of  their  warriors  by  the  number  of  cabins.  It  is  fatal  to 
the  communal  theory.  This  was  in  1677,  sufficiently  early  to 
fairly  represent  aborigiiial  life.  The  Mohawks  were  then  esti- 
mated at  ninety-six  houses  and  300  fighting  men,  or  about  three 
men  to  a  house,  who  sometimes  might  be  a  father  and  sons.  The 
Oneidas  had  100  houses  an<l  200  fighting  men,  or  two  to  a  house. 
The  Onondagas  had  164  cabins  and  350  warriors;  the  Cayugas 
100  houses  and  300  men ;  and  the  Senecas  324  houses  and  1,000 
men.  One  Seneca  town  had  the  largest  houses  he  saw,  from 
fifty  to  sixty  feet  long,  and  with  twelve  to  thirteen  fires.  It  had 
120  houses,  but  on  comparison  can  hardly  be  assigned  more  than 
/^oo  warriors.  It  is  probable  that  some  of  the  fires  were  for 
captives  and  slaves,  •  The  statement  made  by  a  sorrowful  Seneca 
mother  shows  how  large  a  number  of  these  might  be  found  in  a 
household. 

Stili  the  general  form  of  the  Iroquois  house  was  long,  and 
generally  with  the  doors  at  the  ends.  These  were  hung  at  the 
top,  and  easily  turned  aside ;  the  covering  for  the  chiipney  hole 
being  arranged  in  the  same  way  for  protection  against  rain.  The 
seats  or  bedsteads  were  on  either  side,  one  above  the  other,  and 
the  cross  beams  afiforded  convenient  receptacles  for  many  articles. 
In  the  council  house  the  wampum  and  other  presents  were  hung 
on  these.  The  great  houses  of  the  Huron  chiefs  were  much 
more  spacious,  and  in  these  captives  were  sometimes  tortured, 
while  the  conquerors  reclined  at  ease  on  their  seats,  enjoying  the 
terrible  sight. 

Charlevoix  says  that  in  long  houses  each  fire  served  for  a  space 
of  thirty  feet,  which  is  too  much,  but  he  implies  that  there  was 
commonly  but  one  family  in  a  house.  In  the  double  and  triple 
stockades,  "  the  piles  of  which  they  were  composed  are  inter- 
woven with  branches  of  trees,  without  any  void  space  between." 
One  remark  respecting  th(jir  houses,  suggests  a  picture  of  the 


NOTES   ON   CUSICK'S   SIX    NATIONS.  1 25 

Pacific  coast :  "  Formerly  the  Iroquois  built  their  cabins  in  a  bet- 
ter manner  than  the  other  nations,  and  even  than  themselves  do 
at  this  day ;  these  were  adorned  with  figures  in  relievo,  but  of 
very  coarse  workmanship;  and  as  almost  all  their  towns  have 
been  since  burned  in  different  expeditions,  they  have  not  taken 
the  trouble  to  rebuild  them  with  their  former  magnificence."  Of 
course  these  carvings,  if  of  value,  could  be  carried  to  a  new  town 
when  the  old  was  abandoned.  They  are  still  quite  skillful  in 
carving  their  domestic  utensils.  The  totem  of  the  owner  was 
formerly  jjlaced  on  each  house,  and  visitors  from  other  nations 
thus  knew  where  they  would  be  received  as  of  the  family. 

NAMES. 

Among  the  Hurons  those  captives  who  were  to  be  burned 
were  used  with  great  consideration  until  the  time  of  torture  came, 
but  I  find  nothing  like  this  among  the  Iroquois,  and  the  treat- 
ment of  slaves  by  the  latter  was  often  extremely  brutal.  The 
Mohawks  had  a  i)ractice  of  placing  prisoners  on  a  low  platform, 
to  amuFe  the  people  and  suffer  from  them,  where  all  could  see. 
If  adopted,  the  tenderest  care  was  bestowed  upon  them,  and  they 
took  the  place  of  the  dead  in  every  way,  assuming  even  the  name. 
In  fact  the  dead  was  supposed  figuratively  to  revive  when  a  per- 
son took  his  name,  and  the  one  who  bore  it  was  to  live  worthy 
of  it.  ■ 

Names  of  persons  are  usually  more  poetic  than  those  of  places, 
but  are  sufficiently  odd  even  then,  as  may  be  seen  in  the  list  of 
])rincipal  chiefs,  and  some  of  my  own  friends  have  those  that  are 
quite  curious.  Fortunately  they  were  never  unalterable,  and  are 
frequently  changed  even  now,  a  new  chief  assuming  the  titular* 
name.  Besides,  there  are  names  which  are  the  projierty  of  cer- 
tain clans,  and  which  are  used  by  no  others.  Names  are  con- 
ferred or  changed  at  the  greater  feasts,  and  that  is  the  usual  time 
for  ado))tion.  Charlevoix  has  some  remarks  on  this  subject, 
saying,  "The  chief  of  each  family  bears  its  name,  and  in  all  pub- 


126  NOTES   ON    CUSICK'S    SIX    NATIONS. 

lie  deeds  he  is  known  by  no  other.  The  same  thing  hai)|jens 
with  regard  to  the  chief  of  a  nation,  as  well  as  of  every  village; 
but  besides  this  name,  which  is  only  a  sort  of  representative  ap- 
pellatio.n,  they  have  another,  which  distinguishes  them  more  par- 
ticularly, and  which  is  properly  a  mark  of  dignity;  thus,  one  is 
called  the  most  noble,  another  the  most  ancient,  and  so  foith. 
Lastly,  they  have  a  third  which  is  personal;  but  I  should  be  apt 
to  believe  that  this  custom  prevails  only  amongst  those  nations 
where  the  office  of  chief  is  hereditary." 


WOMEN. 

It  is  often  said  that  the  women  were  really  the  governing  power 
among  the  Iroquois,  but  I  find  little  to  supjjort  this  historically. 
Theoretically  it  seems  true,  and  it  is  certain  they  had  much  in- 
fluence, but  the  theory  has  outrun  the  facts.  Charlevoix  may 
again  be  quoted:  "The  women  have  the  chief  authority  amongst 
all  the  nations  of  the  Huron  language  ;  if  we  except  the  Iroquois 
canton  of  Onneyouth,  (Oneida,)  in  which  it  is  in  both  sexes  al- 
ternately. But  if  this  be  their  lawful  constitution,  their  practice 
is  seldom  agreeable  to  it.  In  fact  the  men  never  tell  the  women 
anything  they  would  have  to  be  kept  feciet;  and  rarely  an}  thing 
of  consequence  is  communicated  to  them,  tb.ough  all  is  done  in 
their  name,  and  the  chiefs  are  no  more  than  their  lieutenants." 
He  relates  an  instance  as  "a  convincing  pioof  that  the  real 
authority  of  the  women  is  very  little."  In  some  other  thirgs  he 
thought  their  assent  was  but  a  matter  of  foim,  and  l.e  was  prob- 
ably right,  but  admits  that  they  decided  the  fate  of  the  national 
captives.  •    -.  •  •  •  '    ' . 

The  line  of  descent  being  on  the  woman's  side,  her  chiUhen 
were  all  of  her  clan  or  nation,  ar.d  this  is  the  piesent  rule. 
Women  still  have  a  voice  in  the  choice  of  chiefs,  and  in  some 
treaties  the  two  governesses  aj  pend  their  s'gratures.  At  feasts 
they  take  part  in  the  preparations,  as  among  us,  but  never  make 


NOTES    ON    CUISCK's    SIX    NATIONS.  187 

speeches.  Even  at  the  Dead  Feast,  where  the  guests  are  women, 
a  man  is  chosen  as  the  speaker.  A  woman  is  also  an  important 
agent  of  the  False  Faces,  and  they  seem  credited  with  more 
fondness  for  witchcraft  than  the  men.  Quite  a  study  might  be 
made  of  feminine  industries  among  them,  in  which  they  display 
much  ingenuity.  One  day  I  saw  a  woman  gathering  corn,  with 
her  basket  on  her  back.  She  walked  between  two  rows,  gather- 
ing with  each  hand,  and  throwing  the  corn  over  her  shoulder  into 
the  basket. 


IROQUOIS  STORIES. 

Mrs.  Erminnie  A.  Smith  made  a  good  collection  of  Iroquois 
stories  for  the  Bureau  of  Ethnology,  in  whose  second  report  most 
of  them  were  published.  Part  of  these  may  be  mentioned  in 
connection  with  others,  without  farther  credit. 

He-no,  the  Thunder,  figures  in  some,  and  always  beneficently. 
In  some  Onondaga  feasts  there  is  a  dance  for  the  Thunders,  and 
if  tobacco  is  offered  them  in  a  dry  time,  rain  may  be  expected, 
though  this  often  fails. 

One  story  of  the  Thunders  and  the  lake  serpents  has  been 
given ;  in  another  a  hunter  is  caught  up  in  the  clouds,  where  his 
eyes  are  anointed,  and  he  sees  the  big  serpent  in  the  depths 
below.  He  points  it  out  to  the  Thunders,  who  try  to  kill  it,  but 
fail ;  and  on  this  the  man  draws  his  bow  and  slays  it,  when  the 
storm  ceases. 

In  another  tale  an  old  man  helps  a  hunter,  but  the  Thunders 
tell  him  that  his  benefactor  is  an  evil  being  whom  they  must  kill. 
He  is  enticed  away  from  heme,  after  making  sure  that  the  sky  is 
clear,  but  while  he  is  carrying  an  immense  bear  to  his  cave  the 
Thunders  ai)pear.  He  becomes  a  great  porcupine,  and  endeavors 
to  escape,  but  is  slain. 

Mr.  L.  H.  Morgan  related  another  story,  found  among  the 
Senecas.     Rather  than  marry  a  hated  suitor  a  Seneca  girl  turned 


128  NOTES   ON   CUSICK'S    SIX    NATIONS. 

her  canoe  over  Niagara  Falls,  where  the  Thunder  dwells.  He 
caught  her  as  she  fell,  and  placed  her  in  his  cave,  where  she 
stayed  a  long  time.  From  him  she  learned  of  a  great  serpent 
lying  under  her  village,  which  caused  sickness  and  death;  and 
on  her  return  the  village  was  removed,  but  the  serpent  followed 
until  slain  by  the  Thunder.  His  body  was  thrown  into  the  river 
and  catching  on  the  rocks,  formed  the  Horse  shoe  Falls. 

One  beautiful  idea  relates  to  the  corn,  beans  and  squashes,  all 
indigenous  plants,  which  are  called  three  sisters,  as  well  as  their 
life,  or  supporters.  The  thought  is  a  happy  one,  for  they  grow 
together,  and  were  always  important  in  Indian  life.  From  the 
red  men  the  colonists  learned  to  plant  all  three  together,  the 
corn  supporting  the  climbing  bean,  while  the  squash  wandered 
among  the  hills.     They  are  remembered  in  religious  feasts. 

Some  make  the  West  Wind  destroy  the  Stone  Giants,  instead 
of  the  Holder  of  the  Heavens;  and  in  this  case  they  are  pre- 
cipitated into  a  deep  ravine.  Their  wives  rarely  appear  in  stories, 
but  one  ran  away  from  her  cruel  husband,  and  stayed  with  a 
hunter's  family  making  herself  very  useful.  When  her  husband 
came  to  take  her  away,  she  caught  and  held  him  down,  until  he 
was  killed  by  her  host.     Scon  after  she  went  heme  again. 

A  story  of  the  Gi eat  Head  has  some  features  found  in  Ok- 
wencha,  but  the  monster  is  all  head,  with  shaggy  hair.  Ten 
orphan  boys  lived  with  their  uncle,  but  one  after  another  dis- 
appeared when  they  went  hunting  until  the  youngest  alone  was 
left,  and  his  uncle  kept  him  at  home.  One  day  they  found  a 
man  almost  dead,  deep  in  the  ground,  but  revived  him  by  rub- 
bing and  feeding  him  with  bear's  oil.  He  told  them  many  strange 
things.  One  night  ne  heard  his  brother.  Great  Head,  howling 
in  a  hurricane,  and  the  next  day  went  to  see  him.  To  do  so  he 
became  a  m.ole,  and  watched  him  through  the  grass,  but  Great 
Head  turned  his  eyes,  and  ;aid,  "I  see  you.  "  So  the  man  shot 
at  him,  and  the  blunt  arrow  became  large  as  it  flew,  and  drove 
the  monster  away.     Then  it  became  small  as  it  returned  to   the 


NOTES    ON    CUSICK  S    SIX    NATIONS.  129 

man,  and  he  ran  for  the  house.  As  he  went  Great  Head  came 
riding  on  the  storm.  Several  times  was  he  driven  back  with  the 
arrow,  but  at  last  reached  the  house,  where  they  fed  him  on 
blocks  of  maple  wood.  He  told  them  that  the  nine  brothers  had 
been  turned  to  dry  bones  by  a  witch.  So  the  youngest  brother 
went  with  him,  and  the  old  witch  was  killed  and  burned.  They 
placed  the  dry  bones  in  rows,  sorting  them  as  well  as  they  could, 
and  then  (xreat  Head  went  off  and  came  back  in  a  storm.  As 
he  returne.].  the  young  man  faid  to  the  bones,  "AH  arite!"  and 
all  came  to  life  again.  In  Okwencha,  the  boy  pushes  against  a 
tree,  and  cries,  "Look  out !  look  out !"  and  in  a  Canadian  Al- 
gonquin stoiy  he  shoots  an  arrow  in  the  air,  with  the  same  cry 
and  results.     -  ;.    ^  ' 

Hiawatha  came  to  a  lake  which  he  wished  to  cross,  when  a 
great  flock  of  ducks  alighted  in  it,  drinking  the  water  and  soak- 
ing it  up.  When  it  was  dry  he  gathered  the  shells  in  its  bed  for 
wampum.  The  Onondagas  point  to  a  dried  up  pond  among  the 
Tully  lakes,  as  the  spot,  but  Mr.  Hale's  story  would  place  it 
much  farther  east. 

Hiawatha  could  call  down  the  wampum  bird,  and  when  he  first 
visited  the  Mohawks,  in  the  story  told  me,  he  used  its  quills.'^^ 
This  will  appear  under  the  heading  of  Hiawatha.  A  man  once 
saw  a  wan.pum  bird  in  the  woodF,  and  told  the  head  chief,  who 
offered  his  daughter  to  any  one  wtio  would  kill  it.  Every  time  it 
was  hit  it  threw  off  wan  pum,  and  still  had  as  much  as  before. 
At  last  a  small  boy  from  another  tribe  wished  to  try,  and  was  op- 
posed, but  the  chief  allowed  hfin  to  ^hoot,  and  the  bird  fell.  He 
divided  the  wami)i:m  between  his  own  trileand  that  of  his  bride, 
and  it  became  the  offering  of  peace  and  for  injuries 

A  boy  once  found  a  beautiful,  j-nake,  and  fed  ii,  but  everything 
he  put  in  the  water  with  it  became  alive.     He  got  more  snakes 
and  hung  ihem   up,  ard  as  their  oil  dropped  in  the  water  it      , 
became  still  livelier.     By  anointicig  his  ejes  with  this  water  he 
faw  hidden  thirgs,  and  by  pointirg  his  firger  at  people  he  be- 


130  NOTES   ON    CUSICK  S    SIX    NATIONS. 

witched  them.     Many  other  curious  properties  it  had,  which  ap- 
pear in  the  various  witch  stories. 

Two  of  these  were  told  me  by  Rev.  Albert  Cusick.  In  the 
first  a  young  man  thought  his  brother  was  bewitched,  and  wanted 
to  find  out  by  whom  it  was  done.  So  he  went  to  an  old  woman, 
and  told  her  he  wished  to  become  a  witch.  She  said  he  might, 
but  if  he  did  he  must  point  his  finger  at  his  sister  when  he  re- 
turned from  their  meeting,  and  she  would  soon  die.  He  arranged 
a  plan  with  his  sister,  and  went  with  the  old  woman  that  night. 
As  they  went  through  the  bushes  he  broke  off  a  twig  now  and 
then.  All  at  once  the  old  woman  sprang  into  a  tree,  and  became 
a  great  panther,  snarling  and  spitting  at  him.  He  was  terribly 
frightened,  but  did  not  run,  and  when  she  came  down,  and  said, 
"  Were  you  not  scared  ? "'  he  answered,  "  O  no  ;  not  at  all.  I 
would  like  to  be  like  that  myself."  When  they  came  to  the  place 
of  meeting  they  found  a  great  many  witches,  young  and  old,  who 
had  a  fire ;  and  over  the  fire  was  a  small  vessel  of  the  size  of  a 
tea-cup.  Over  this  was  a  bunch  of  snakes,  and  their  blood 
slowly  dropped  into  the  cup.  Of  this  all  drank  a  little  from  time 
to  time,  and  the  young  man  pretended  to  drink,  too.  Then  they 
^^took  different  shapes,  and  asked  him  what  he  would  like  to  be. 
He  thought  a  Fcreecli  owl,  and  imitated  its  cry.  They  gave  him 
an  owl's  head,  which  he  put  on  when  the  meeting  broke  up. 
Away  he  flew  to  his  brothers  house,  through  tlie  air,  and  the  peo- 
ple were  much  alarme:!  when  they  heard  a  screech  owl  on  the 
roof.  But  he  came  in  quietly  and  pointed  his  finger  at  a  dog, 
which  sickened  and  died.  His  sftter  pretended  to  be  sick,  and 
all  the  witches  came  to  say  how  sorry  they  were.  Next  night  the 
warriors  went  with  the  young  man,  and  when  they  got  to  the 
spot  a  man  was  making  a  speech-  He  said  it  was  good  to  kill 
people,  and  the  Great  Spirit  would  reward  them  for  it,  for  it 
saved  them  much  sorrow  and  pain  ;  but  before  he  had  finished 
the  warriors  rushed  in,  and  kiHed  them  all. 

In  the  other,  a  boy  lived  with  his  grandmother,  who  went  into 


NOTKS    ON    CUSICK's    SIX    NATIONS.  I3I 

the  loft  every  night,  but  would  never  let  him  go.  One  day,  when 
she  was  away,  he  climbed  up  and  found  a  bark  bo.\  near  a  hole 
in  the  roof.  In  this  was  an  owl's  head,  which  he  thought  would 
be  nice  to  wear,  and  put  it  on.  Immediately  he  flew  out  of  the 
hole,  and  towards  a  house  where  there  was  a  sick  person.  He 
caught  hb\d  of  bushes  and  sunflowers,  to  stop  himself,  but  it  was 
of  no  use,  for  all  came  up  by  the  roots.  Then  he  flew  into  the 
house  and  fell  down  among  the  ashes.  The  people  were  fright- 
ened at  an  owrs  coming  in,  but,  behold,  it  was  only  a  little  boy 
with  an  owl's  head,  and  another  witch  was  found  out. 

Some  stories  are  quite  wide-spread,  even  among  Indians.  In 
one  a  boy  was  to  marry  one  of  two  beautiful  maidens,  who  one 
day  came  to  see  him,  and  then  returned  home.  When  it  was 
time  for  him  to  go  and  seek  his  fortune,  his  uncle  gave  him  a 
charmed  suit,  and  directions  for  his  journey.  These  he  did  not 
follow,  and  fell  into  trouble,  for  a  man  took  his  handsome  clothes 
and  went  in  his  place,  marrying  the  elder  sister.  The  younger 
would  have  nothing  lo  do  with  him,  nor  would  the  charmed  suit 
obey  his  wishe-.  A{  last  the  younger  maiden  found  the  boy 
asleep  in  the  corn  field,  sick  and  greatly  changed.  She  pitied 
him,  took  his  part  and  saw  all  made  right  again,  the  impostor 
being  punished. 

This  appears  in  Mrs.  Smith's  Iroquois  stories,  but  its  leading 
features  are  much  like  a  Dakota  tale,  related  by  the  Rev.  J.  O. 
Dorsey.     Both  are  somewhat  suggestive  of  the  Old  World.  . 

Modern  influences  have  been  at  work,  and  "  Boots,"  the 
youngest  son  or  slighted  boy,  frequently  appears.  "The  Lad 
and  the  Chestnuts"  has  a  suggestion  of  European  tales.  Two 
brothers  lived  together,  and  one  seemed  well  fed  and  never 
hungry,  so  his  brother  watched  him.  From  under  a  trap-door  he 
took  a  kettle,  and  at  his  word  it  grew  larger  over  the  fire,  so  that 
he  had  a  fine  feast.  Then  he  made  it  small  and  i)ut  it  away. 
When  he  was  gone  the  next  morning,  the  younger  brother  got  it 
out,  and  found  half  a  chesinut  in  it.     He  made  the  kettle  large. 


132  NOTES    ON    CUSICK's    SIX    NATIONS. 

but  could  not  stop  its  growth,  and  had  to  go  outside  the  house, 
until  his  brother  came  home  and  made  it  small  again.  But 
the  chestnut  was  gone,  and  he  pined  away.  So  the  younger 
man  started  for  the  distant  magic  chestnut  tree,  which  grew 
beyond  a  great  river,  ana  was  guarded  by  a  white  heron.  With 
the  help  of  a  mole  and  a  magic  canoe,  which  expanded  and  con- 
tracted at  need,  he  got  the  chestnutsjieiescape.l  safely,  and  they 
were  happy  ever  after.  '   i' 

It  sounds  like  some  of  our  nursery"  tales,  and  yet  has  features 
in  common  with  some  Indian  tales  in  the  West,  Such  a  diffu- 
sion of  native  tales  was  to  be  expected,  when  the  Iroquois  car 
ried  on  such  distant  wars,  and  adopted  so  many  cajjtives.  At  the 
time  of  the  Huron  war  a  French  missionary  wrote,  "  the  fear  of 
the  Iroquois  is  everywhere  j"  and  yet  they  had  then  gone  but  a 
few  hundred  miles  from  home.  At  a  later  day  they  reached 
South  Carolina  and  the  Mississippi.  The  Cherokees  and  Ca- 
tawbas  rent  their  ambassadors  to  Onondaga,  and  the  Iroquois 
gatheied  the  tales  and  customs,  as  well  as  the  ipoils  of  many 
nations.  -  ' 


O-KWEN-CHA,  OR  RED  PAINT. 

I  had  this  story  from  Albert  Cusick,  or  Sa-go-na-qua-der,  "  He 
that  makes  every  one  angry;  "  and  he.jn  turn,  had  it  from  Bill 
Lije,  or  Sco-noc-weh,  '"A  valuable  house." 

A  long  time  ago  a  little  boy,  named  O  kwen-cha,  or  Red  Paint, 
lived  in  an  old  kanosa-honwe,  or  real  bark  house,  and  this  had 
no  windows,  and  but  one  doorway.  The  door  was  made  of  old 
skins,  and  the  chimney  was  so  large  that  the  cabin  seemed  to  have 
no  roof.  The  bark-roof  was  moss-grown,  and  even  a  small 
maple  grew  upon  it.  There  was  no  floor,  and  on  one  side  meat 
was  hung;  on  the  other  were  implements,  ornaments  and  cloth- 
ing, long  disused.  The  grandmother  did  all  the  work  and  killed 
all  the  game.     They  always  had  enough,  but  whenever  she  went 


NOTES    ON    CUSICK  S    SIX    NATIONS.  I33 

out  she  tol<l  him  not  to  touch  the  ga-na-cho-we,  or  Indian  drum, 
which  hung  ui)on  the  wall. 

Okwencl  a  vas  very  sn.all,  and  was  clothed  in  furs.  His  face 
vas  painted  with  stieaks  of  red,  and  he  had  war  and  hunting  im- 
pleirents  made  by  his  uncles  long  ago.  But  he  could  not  go  out, 
and  so  shot  at  things  in  the  cabin.  There  were  four  beds,  too, 
which  had  not  been  used  for  many  moons.  He  wondered  what 
those  beds  were  for,  and  why  he  must  not  touch  the  drum.  One 
day  he  took  the  drum  down,  and  said,  ''This  is  the  way  I  think 
my  uncles  did."  Then  he  began  to  drum  and  to  chant  his  war- 
song,  "  Ha-wa-sa-say  Ha-wa-sa-say ! "  His  uncles  came  from 
under  the  beds,  and  danced  with  him,  and  when  they  danced 
the  dancing  was  heard  throughout  the  world. 

The  grandmother  was  at  the  world's  end,  but  she  heard  all  as 
plainly  as  if  at  home,  and  she  ran  there  at  once,  and  her  foot- 
steps were  heard  throughout  the  world.  So  when  all  heard  the 
drum,  the  dancing,  and  the  running  of  Cho-noo-kwa-a-nah,  or 
"  Uncombed  Coarse  Hair,"  they  said,  "  He,  ha !  So  Cho-noo- 
kwa-a-nah  is  in  trouble  again.  We  will  soon  see  what  magician 
will  try  to  kill  her  or  her  children." 

Okwencha  heard  her  running,  and  put  the  drum  away,  and  his 
uncles  vanished.  He  put  more  wood  on  the  tire,  and  soon  she 
came  in  with  the  sweat  on  her  face,  and  breathless  from  haste. 
*' Oh,  my  grandchild  !"  she  said,  "What  have  you  done?  You 
have  killed  me ! "  And  she  said  this  again.  He  said  he  had 
been  making  her  old  moccasins  dance,  and  it  was  real  fun.  But 
she  asked  \«ho5e  were  the  footmarks  in  the  dust?  He  did  not 
answer,  but  placed  the  old  moccasins  in  a  row,  and  took  hsi 
bow  and  arrows.  He  beat  on  his  bow-string,  and  sung  his  wa»- 
song,  and  ihe  moccasins  danced  till  the  cabin  was  full  of  dust 
"  Oh !  "  ?aid  his  grandmother,  "  Okwencha  is  quite  a  witch !  " 

She  went  off  the  next  day,  and  all  happened  as  before,  but  on 
the  third  day  she  went  but  a  little  way,  and  he  had  the  drum  in 
his  hands  when  fhe  came  in.     Then  came  a  very  tall  man,  so  tall 


134  NOTES   ON   CUSICK'S   SIX    NA IIONS. 

that  he  had  to  crawl  into  the  cabin,  and  told  the  grandmother  she 
must  come  to  his  place,  and  they  must  wrestle  for  their  heads.  If 
either  was  thrown  three  times  the  loser's  head  should  be  cut  off. 
The  man  was  Sus-ten-ha-nah,  or  "He  Large  Stone,"  from  the 
flat  stone  on  which  he  lived,  and  he  was  a  cannibal  and  a  great 
wrestler. 

So  Coarse  Hair  j)repared  for  her  three  days'  journey  to  the 
stone.  She  told  her  grandson  to  stay  in  the  house,  and  ho|)e 
that  she  might  be  successful.  But  when  she  got  to  the  stone 
Sustenhanah  was  very  hungry,  and  seized  her  at  once,  but  as  he 
was  about  to  throw  her  on  the  stone  a  voice  was  heard,  "  Here ! 
here!  that  is  not  the  way  to  wrestle!  Here!  here!  give  me  the 
chance,  grandmother  !"'  Sustenhanah  said,  "Ho,  ho!  plenty  of 
game  to-day  !  "  when  Okwencha  came  up  through  the  stone. 

The  giant  said,  "Ho,  ho!  so  you  want  to  wrestle,  do  you? 
What  do  you  amount  to?"  and  he  tore  his  body  in  two,  and 
threw  him  aside.  Then  he  seized  Coarse  Hair  again,  but  up 
came  Okwencha,  saying,  "Give  me  the  chance,  grandmother ! '' 
So  she  let  him  try  again.  He  threw  the  giant  three  times,  and 
he  knelt  down  so  that  Okwencha  might  cut  ofif  his  head.  It  flew 
high  up  in  the  air,  and  they  wondered  when  it  went  so  high,  but 
the  body  remained  kneeling  till  the  head  came  back  and  stuck 
on  again.  It  was  cut  off"  a  second  and  a  third  time,  but  the  third 
time  they  drew  the  body  to  one  side.  When  the  head  came 
down  it  struck  on  the  stone,  and  broke  it  into  a  thousand  pieces, 
which  were  scattered  all  over  the  world  :  and  that  is  why  we  have 
stones  everywhere.  The  head  was  likewise  broken  and  scattered, 
the  brains  becoming  snails,  and  that  is  why  we  have  snails  every- 
where, Gesenweh,  or  snails,  is  also  the  Onondaga  name  of 
brains.  ■ 

Okwencha  sent  his  grandmother  home,  while  he  went  to  find 
his  uncles.  First  he  gathered  all  the  bones  he  could  find,  of 
those  whom  Sustenhanah  had  killed,  and  put  them  in  a  row. 
Then  he  pushed  on  a  big  hickory  tree,  and  called  out,  "  Euch  ! 


NOTES   ON    CUSICK's    SIX    NATIONS.  1^5 

Euch !  "  or  "Take  care!  take  care!  'Phis  tree  will  fall  over 
you  I  You  had  better  get  out  of  the  way  !  "  The  tree  fell,  the 
bones  came  to  life,  and  all  began  to  run  away.  But  the  right 
bones  had  not  always  come  together,  and  he  made  them  change, 
so  that  men  looked  like  men,  and  bears  and  deer  as  they  iihould. 
The  people  wanted  him  to  be  their  chief,  but  he  sent  them  all 
home,  his  first  uncle  among  the  rest. 

He  went  on  farther.  On  the  third  day  he  heard  an  Indian 
drum,  but  could  not  tell  where  it  was.  In  the  night  he  woke  up, 
dancing,  aiid  far  from  his  camp-fire,  going  towards  the  drum. 
He  said.  "  He,  he !  the  old  fellow  is  quite  a  witch."  The  second 
night  this  hai)pened  again,  and  the  third  day  became  to  a  crowd 
of  men.  A  giant  was  beating  a  drum,  while  he  sat  by  a  kettle 
of  boiling  soup.  The  hungry  people  danced  around,  and  every 
little  while  he  seized  and  ate  one,  while  Retl  Paint  stood  by.  He 
struck  at  the  man,  who  was  named  Kah-nah-chu-wah-ne,  or  ''  He 
Big  Kettle."  He  hit  him  on  the  forehead,  but  he  took  no  notice. 
The  third  time  he  looked  uj)  and  scratched  his  forehead,  and  said, 
"It  seems  to  me  the  moscjuitoes  bite."  When  they  fought 
Okvvencha  cut  off  his  head  with  his  bone  scalping  knife,  and 
threw  it  in  the  soup.  The  hungry  people  would  have  eaten  of 
the  soup,  and  wanted  him  for  their  chief,  but  he  would  allow 
neither.  He  sent  them  away,  and  then  broke  the  big  kettle  and 
drum.  He  also  cut  up  and  burned  the  giant's  body,  and  then 
gathered  all  the  bones  and  placed  them  in  a  row  near  a  great 
pine  tree,  ])ushing  on  this  and  crying  out  as  before.  The  people 
came  to  life,  but  he  had  again  to  exchange  some  heads  and  limbs. 
One  of  his  uncles  was  there,  too,  but  he  sent  them  all  home, 
going  westward  alone,  as  before. 

In  three  days  he  heard  the  distant  barking  of  a  dog,  and  on 
the  third  day  afterwards  he  met  a  man  whose  flesh  was  eaten 
from  his  feet  to  his  thighs.  A  dog  was  running  after  him,  biting 
off  his  flesh.  Red  Paint  said,  "I  wish  my  dogs,  Okwae,  the 
Bear,  and  Kuhahsenteatah,  the  Lion,  were  here."     He  whistled, 


136  NOTES   ON    CUSICK's    SIX    NATIONS. 

and  they  came  and  killed  the  do^,  and  then  were  sent  home. 
Red  Paint  healed  the  man,  who  was  his  third  uncle,  and  sent 
him  to  his  grandmother. 

He  went  on  for  three  days  more,  when  he  came  to  a  village, 
and  lived  awhile  with  a  poor  woman  and  her  hoy.  They  became 
good  hunters,  and  the  woman  was  glad.  One  night  there  was  to 
be  a  great  feast  at  the  council  house,  when  they  would  make 
wampum.  Soup  was  i)Oured  through  a  dead  man's  skin,  and 
became  wampimi  as  it  passed  through.  They  had  had  this  skin 
a  long  time,  and  it  was  tliat  of  Okwenclia's  uncle,  which  he 
wanted  so  much. 

He  went  to  the  feast,  late  in  the  evening,  and  found  a  great 
crowd.  'I'hen  he  said,  "  I  wish  Tah-lum-tike-skwa,  the  bat,  were 
here;  and  Che-ten-ha,  the  mouse,  and  'i'ah-hoon-to-whe,  the 
night-hawk  ;"  and  all  came.  He  told  the  bat  to  amuse  the  i)eo- 
ple  by  flying  about,  while  the  mou'-e  climbed  the  pole  and  gnawed 
off  the  cords  supporting  hi ;  uncle's  skin.  The  night-hawk  was 
to  go  to  and  fro  and  report  to  him.  The  people  had  great  sport 
with  the  bat,  and  the  mouse  gnawed  the  cords  almost  ofl",  which 
the  night-h.awk  reported,  and  then  tiew  away  with  the  bat. 

The  people  were  tired,  and  while  a  chief  was  speakmg  Reel 
Paint  took  the  skin  away.  As  he  did  this  he  thought,  "I  wish 
all  the  people  were  asleep ; "'  and  they  slept.  He  then  cut  ofT 
the  chiefs  head  and  took  it  away,  and  hid  the  skin.  Then  the 
])eople  awoke,  and  found  both  were  gone,  so  that  there  was  a 
great  u])roar.  They  searched  for  CJkwencha,  crying  out  furiously, 
and  he  pretended  to  lead  the  chase  in  the  darkness,  until  they 
all  gave  up. 

Then  he  went  back  to  the  council  hou?e,  and  threw  the  chiefs 
head  among  them,  saymg  he  had  slain  the  man  who  killed  their 
chief.  They  kicked  it  around,  while  he  went  away,  but  at  last  a 
man  paw  their  mistake,  and  they  chased  Okwencha  again.  They 
were  too    late,  and   l)e   carried   off  his   urcle's   skin,  which   he 


NOTES   ON    CUSICIt  S    SIX    NATIONS.  I37 

breathed  into  and  restored  to  life.  So  they  went  pleasantly 
homeward  together. 

The  old  woman  had  fastened  the  door,  and  they  could  not  get 
in,  for  the  animals  used  to  come  and  fool  her,  pretending  to  be 
her  grandson.  She  became  a  very  old  woman,  and  they  found 
her  bending  over  the  fire,  the  dust  and  ashes  on  her  back  an  inch 
deep.  Red  I*aint  said,  "  I  will  make  a  young  woman  out  of  my 
grandmother  yet."  He  took  a  little  stick,  and  stuck  it  in  the 
loose  skin,  back  of  her  head,  and  as  he  twisted  it  all  the  wrinkles 
became  smooth,  and  she  seemed  a  handsome  young  woman. 
Then  she  saw  him,  and  was  so  glad  that  she  felt  young  all  over. 

He  said.  "Now  we  will  fix  up  the  old  house;"  and  as  he 
wanted  it,  so  it  became.  Then  his  other  three  uncles  came, 
loaded  with  bear's  meat,  and  all  were  happy. 

This  story  is  given  more  fully  in  the  Journal  of  American  Folk 
Lore,  for  1889,  where  I  noted  the  occurrence  of  assisting  animals, 
and  the  triple  arrangement,  as  in  European  tales. 


HI-A-WAT-HA. 

It  is  rather  odd  that  what  is  now  the  most  famous  of  Iroquois 
names  was  almost  unknown  but  little  over  half  a  century  ago. 
Mr.  J.  V.  H.  Clark  had  the  Onondaga  version  from  two  chiefs  of 
that  nation,  in  1845,  and  published  it  in  the  New  York  Commer- 
cial Advertif^^er,  soon  after.  Schoolcraft  used  these  notes  without 
credit,  before  ti.ey  were  included  in  Clark's  History,  and  after- 
wards took  the  name  for  his  western  Indian  legends,  where  it  had 
no  proper  i)lace.  About  the  same  time,  Alfred  B.  Street  ob- 
tained a  few  original  notes  from  other  Iroquois  sources,  which  he 
used  in  his  metrical  romance  of  "  Frontenac,"  in  1849,  along  with 
some  from  Schoolcraft.  Longfellow  followed  the  latter,  and  made 
an  Ojibway  out  of  an  Iroquois  chief. 

Like  similar  Iroquois  names  the  final  syllables  are  pronounced 
wat-ha,  by  the  Indians,  and  by  the  Onondagas  it  is  commonly 


138  NOTES   ON    CUSICK's    SIX    NATIONS. 

caiic  J  Hi-e-wat-ha.  Its  meaning  presents  some  difficulties.  Mr. 
Horatio  Hale,  the  eminent  philologist,  interprets  it,  "  He  who 
seeks  or  makes  the  wampum  belt."  This  would  bring  the  name 
down  to  the  seventeenth  century,  if  the  ordinary  wampum  belt  is 
meant,  for  until  then  the  Iroquois  had  none  of  the  small  beads 
used  in  making  these.  On  the  other  hand,  several  stories  con- 
nect Hiawatha  with  the  first  Iroquois  use  of  wampum,  which 
strengthens  this  interpretation.  As  he  probably  Uved  in  the 
seventeenth  century,  or  the  latter  part  of  the  sixteenth,  this  might 
harmonize  very  well. 

Mr.  L.  H.  Morgan  translated  Ha-yo-went-ha,  "  He  who  combs," 
understanding  an  allusion  in  this  to  his  combing  the  snakes  out 
of  Atotarho's  head.  Pere  Cuoq  suggested  "  The  river-maker." 
Daniel  La  Fort,  the  Onondaga  chief,  could  give  no  meaning, 
though  his  father  had  interpreted  it  "The  very  wise  man."  My 
Onondaga  friend,  Albert  Cusick,  told  me  that  the  name  meant 
"  One  who  has  lost  his  mind,  and  seeks  it,  knowing  where  to  find 
it."  This  meaning  is  suggestive  of  the  story  related  by  Mr.  Hale. 
The  reader  may  choose  between  these,  but  the  last  definition 
seems  to  me  the  best. 

According  to  Pyrlreus,  the  confederacy  was  firpt  proposed  by 
Thannawage,  an  old  Mohawk  chief,  and  formed  "  one  age,  or  the 
length  of  a  man's  Hfe,  before  the  white  people  came  into  the 
country,"  which  seems  too  early.  His  other  statement,  that  the 
alHance  was  made  about  one  hundred  years  before  the  Tusca- 
roras  came  into  New  York,  (17 14)  may  be  as  much  too  late.  At 
the  end  of  the  last  century  the  Onondagas  told  Ephiaim  Web- 
ster that  it  was  about  two  generations,  or  one  man's  Hfe,  before 
the  whites  came  to  trade  with  them.  This  would  make  it  about 
1586.  According  to  Schoolcraft,  some  of  the  Senecas  thought  it 
occurred  four  years  before  Hudson  ascended  the  river.  This 
would  carry  it  forward  to  1605.  On  the  whole,  as  a  general  date 
for  Hiawatha's  life,  the  year  i6oo  will  do. 

Mr.  J.  V.  H.  Clark   first  published   the  story,  afterwards   in- 


NOTES   ON    CUSICK  S    SIX    NATIONS.  1 39 

eluded  in  his  history  of  Onondaga,  and  often  quoted  by  others. 
Part  of  it  is  like  Canassatego's  story  of  the  confederacy,  part  of 
it  included  Iroquois  stories,  but  much  bears  the  impress  of  mis- 
sionary teaching  and  recent  events.  It  differs  widely  from  the 
Canadian  tradition,  yet  seems  much  alike  everywhere  in  New 
York,  and  this  would  tend  to  prove  a  somewhat  recent  origin  for 
all  its  forms,  still  further  confirmed  by  Cusick's  silence  on  the 
subject.  There  is  also  clearly  a  mingling  of  different  persons  of 
different  natures,  which  easily  came  about,  for  the  modern  Iro- 
quois at  least,  thought  their  deities  visited  them  in  human  form. 

Clark's  tale  of  Hiawatha  may  be  brifley  sketched,  and  in  this 
the  Holder  of  the  Heavens  hardly  seems  to  be  the  Great  Spirit, 
but  a  lower  deity,  "  ivho  presides  over  fisheries  and  streams."  In 
fact  Clark  says,  "  he  had  been  deputed  by  the  Great  and  Gr  jd 
Spirit  Na-wah-ne-u,  to  visit  the  streams  and  clear  the  channels," 
e'c,  for  the  good  of  men,  an  evident  reference  to  the  mission 
of  Christ.  He  appeared  on  the  blue  waves  of  Lake  Ontario, 
(the  beautiful  lake,)  in  his  white  canoe,  and  was  welcomed  by 
two  hunters  at  Oswego,  "  Where  the  small  water  flows  into  the 
large,"     The  lake  had  many  names. 

The  Onondagas  accompanied  him  to  the  land  of  monsters  and 
enchantments,  following  the  river.  A  great  serpent,  lying  across 
the  stream,  was  destroyed  by  his  magic  paddle,  and  the  white 
canoe  glided  on  over  waters  never  traversed  before.  A  second 
was  slain,  the  fish  were  set  free,  and  the  river  became  safe  for  all. 
They  were  attracted  to  Onondaga  lake,  which  then  had  no  out- 
let, but  the  wondrous  paddle  made  a  small  and  increasing  chan- 
nel, so  that  the  lake  was  lowered  to  its  present  level,  and  the  salt 
springs  were  laid  bare.  As  late  as  1654  the  Indians,  who  then 
used  no  salt,  thought  that  these  were  hurtful  springs. 

It  is  probable  that  this  part  of  the  story  is  recent,  the  serpents 
being  the  obstructing  rifts  in  the  river,  cut  through  and  made 
passable  by  the  Oswego  canal.  The  outlet  of  Onondaga  lake 
was  straightened  and  deepened  by  the  State  in  1822,  and  the 


14©  NOTES   ON    CUSICK'S    SIX    NATIONS. 

lake  lowered.  The  magic  paddle  was  the  ditcher's  spade,  and 
the  white  canoe  may  have  been  a  white  canal  boat,  propelled  by 
a  new  power,  and  passing  the  fulls  without  a  portage. 

Peacefully  rose  the  smoke  from  the  chestnut  grove,  where  the 
enchantress  Oh-cau-nee  guarded  the  precious  fruit,  but  her  power 
was  broken,  and  the  trees  by  the  river  became  free  to  all  comers. 
The  voyagers  passed  Cross  lake  through  which  the  river  flows, 
and  the  skeletons  of  men  showed  that  they  were  near  the  haunts 
of  the  Great  Mosquitoes,  which  stood  on  either  bank,  destroy- 
ing all  who  sought  to  pass.  After  a  severe  contest  one  was  killed 
there,  but  the  other  fled  to  a  vast  distance,  closely  pursued  by 
the  great  deliverer.  At  last  he  was  slain,  as  elsewhere  related, 
and  the  small  mosquitoes  were  produced  by  his  decaying  body, 
which  also  discolored  the  water  of  the  swamps. 

The  ancient  name  of  Seneca  river  is  Thi-o-he-ro,  "The  river 
of  rushes,"  and  when  the  wide  spread  Montezuma  marshes  were 
reached,  two  great  eagles  were  slain,  which  allowed  none  of  the 
wild  fowl  there  to  escape.  In  this  story  this  terminates  the  west- 
ward journey  of  Hiawatha,  but  with  others  he  goes  still  farther. 
Thenceforward  he  was  known  by  this  name,  while  dwelling  as  a 
wise  man  on  the  shores  of  Cross  lake.  This  title  is  here  said  to 
have  been  given  on  account  of  the  wise  advice  imparted  to  the 
multitudes  who  sought  his  home.  The  northern  invasion  oc- 
casioned his  calling  the  great  council,  which  soon  gathered  on  the 
east  shore  of  Onondaga  lake,  but  at  which  he  did  not  at  once 
appear.  ■ 

Ge-nen-ta-ha  was  the  name  used  by  the  French,  as  that  of 
Onondaga  lake;  the  English  called  a  small  village  there  Ka-ne- 
en-da ;  but  the  present  name  is  Oh-nen-ta-ha.  Morgan  defines 
this  as  '•  Material  for  council  fire."  The  Onondagas  now  com- 
monly call  it  Kotch-a-ka-too,  "  Lake  surrounded  by  salt  s])rings." 
The  French  fort  of  1656  was  on  the  east  shore  also,  and  this  may 
have  caused  the  belief  that  here  the  first  council  was  held.  All' 
along  that  shore  there  are  scattered  traces  of  early  and  recent 


NOTES    ON    CUSICK  S    SIX    NATIONS.  I4I 

occupation,  while  on  the  western  bank  the  hamlets  and  lodges 
are  not  Iroquois,  but  of  an  earlier  peiiod.  On  some  accounts  it 
seems  improbable  that  tl.e  council  could  have  been  held  there. 

At  last  the  wise  man  launched  his  white  canoe,  placed  his 
daughter  in  it,  and  went  to  the  meeting  with  gloomy  forebodings. 
As  they  landed,  the  great  white  bird  fell  from  heaven,  killing  his 
daughter  and  itself.  Overcome  witii  grief,  he  lay  as  one  dead  for 
three  da)s,  when  he  was  aroused,  brought  into  the  council, 
which  foimed  the  League,  and  then,  seated  in  his  white  canoe, 
rose  to  heaven  in  the  siyht  of  all.  ■    . 

I  have  omitted  many  details  in  this  sketch,  but  think  those 
who  study  the  full  narrative  will  be  impressed  with  the  thought 
that  this  is  paitially  an  Indian  version  of  the  mission  and  work 
of  Christ,  his  dwelling  upon  the  earth  as  man,  his  death,  resur- 
rection and  a'-cension.     Mingled  with  this  are  many  other  things. 

It  will  be  observe!  that  there  is  no  reference  to  Atotarhohere, 
while  Cusick  makes  him  the  true  founder  of  the  League.  In  the 
account  given  to  Street,  a  great  triumvirate  accomplished  the 
work.  Hah-yoh-wont-hah  (Hiawatha)  and  To-gan-a-we-tah  (De- 
kanawidah)  disappear,  but  Atotarho  remains.  All  are  super- 
natural, but  Toganavvetah  was  so  beautiful  that  the  Great  Spirit 
might  have  envied  him.  He  appeared  suddenly,  no  one  knew 
whence,  and  vanished  as  mysteriously.  His  prophecy  may  be 
noted  in  Street's  account,  where  it  is  given  as  in  the  exact  words 
by  a  Cayuga  chief:  "  When  the  White  throats  shall  come,  then,  if 
ye  are  divided,  you  will  pull  down  the  Long  House,  cut  down  the 
Tree  of  Peace,  and  put  out  the  Council  Fire."  With  this  may 
be  compared  the  expression,  "■  by  reason  of  the  neck  being 
white,-'  in  Mr.  Hale's  "  Iroquois  Book  of  Rites.''  Some  of  the 
chiefs  did  not  understand  the  meaning  of  this,  while  others 
thought  it  an  allusion  to  the  FAiropeans,  who  were  on  the  con- 
tinent before  Hiawatha  lived.  The  disappearance  of  the  two 
leaders  is  a  jwetical  rendering  of  their  having  no  successors  in 
the  Grand  Council. 


142  NOTES   ON    CUSICK's    SIX    NATIONS. 

Mr.  Horatio  Hale  has  received  the  Hiawatha  story  in  a  form 
which  has  much  to  commend  it,  and  which  brings  it  down  to 
plain  history.  Giving  it  its  proper  date,  and  allowing  for  some 
embellishments,  it  is  likely  to  be  accepted.  In  the  main  this  ap- 
pears m  "A  Lawgiver  of  the  Stone  Age,"  and  in  his  valuable  "  Iro- 
quois Book  of  Rites."  Portions  of  this  are  found  among  the 
New  York  Indians,  but  for  the  most  part  it  is  a  Canadian  story, 
and  may  have  taken  form  after  the  ^jparation  of  the  Iroquois  at 
the  close  of  the  Revolution.  Mr.  Hale,  in  the  Canadian  story, 
and  Mr.  Morgan  in  the  Seneca,  both  make  Toganawetah  an  On- 
ondaga adopted  by  the  Mohawks.  According  to  the  latter  he 
chooses  Hiawatha  as  his  speaker,  on  account  of  an  impediment  in 
his  own  speech,  and  he  becomes  a  Mohawk,  too. 

The  nations  were  at  war  when  Hiawatha  formed  his  plan  of 
universal  peace.  Tiie  cruel  and  unscrupulous  Atotarho  thrice 
defeated  the  deliberations  at  Onondaga,  so  greatly  was  he  feared, 
and  Hiawatha,  himself  an  Onondaga,  turned  to  the  Mohawks  for 
aid.  He  arrayed  himself  in  white  wampum,  and  went  to  De- 
kanawidah,  who  approved  his  plans.  The  Oneidas  wanted  time 
to  consider,  but  at  last  gave  their  support.  When  the  Cayugas 
also  assented,  Atotarho  yielded,  and  advised  inviting  the  Senecas, 
who  were  the  last  of  all  to  join.  The  council  was  called,  the 
Iroquois  League  formed,  and  Atotarho  was  placed  at  the  head 
on  the  motion  of  Hiawatha,  singular  as  this  may  seem. 

This  is  a  general  sketch,  and  some  incidents,  not  eUewhere 
mentioned,  may  be  included  here.  Among  the  ])athetic  features 
of  either  story  is  the  death  of  Hiawatha's  daughter,  but  whereas 
she  is  a  girl  of  a  dozen  years  in  Clark's  version,  in  Mr.  Hale's  she 
is  a  married  woman,  who  is  fatally  injured  in  the  rush  that  fol- 
lows the  shooting  of  a  strange  bird  by  one  of  Atotarho's  men,  at 
one  of  the  earlier  councils.  The  traditional  journey  is  probably 
introduced  as  a  sketch  of  the  country.  The  Oneidas  and  Onon 
dagas  at  first  lived  io  far  south,  that  from  the  Mohawk  river  to 
Cayuga  lake  the  forest  trails  were  commonly  used,  as  they  were 


NOTF.S    ON    CUISCK  S    SIX    NATIONS.  1 43 

in  later  times.  In  a  story  tlie  picturesque  effect  was  better  when 
the  lakes  and  rivers  were  followed.  So  the  party  named  some 
places  in  passing  through  Oneida  lake.  "This  is  Se-u-kah,  where 
the  waters  divide  and  meet  again,"  said  Hiawatha,  as  they  came 
to  the  islands,  and  the  name  remains  still.  Going  up  Seneca 
river,  he  found  Indians  spearirg  eels  at  the  Montezuma  marshes, 
who  came  out  of  the  rushes,  bringing  fish  for  their  refreshment, 
and  he  said,  "Tb.ese  are  Teu-ha  ^ah,  the  people  of  the  rushes, 
or  Eels."'  The  drawing  out  of  the  catioes  at  Ca}uga  lake,  and 
the  naming  of  it  from  this,  is  another  incident  of  the  traditional 
journey.  -        . 


THE  CONDOLENXE. 

Mr.  Hale's  "  Iroquois  Book  of  Rites,"  is  based  on  some  man- 
uscript copies  of  certain  speeches  made  at  the  raising  of  chiefs. 
These  preserve  the  names  of  the  principal  chiefs  of  the  confed- 
eracy, which  have  varied  very  little  since  its  foundation,  though 
they  differ  in  the  several  dialects  to  a  moderate  extent.  In  early 
days  the  condolence  and  the  raising  of  chiefs  did  not  always  go 
together,-  and  many  instances  might  be  cited;  nor  was  the 
ceremony  of  raising  chiefs  always  the  same.  The  aid  of  the 
French  or  English  was  often  mvoked,  and  Sir  William  Johnson's 
intluer.oe  was  often  clearly  seen.  He  had  a  list  of  a  large  num- 
ber of  chiefs  whom  he  had  installed  in  office,  for  his  ])resence 
and  aid  were  always  deemed  an  honor.  Even  in  these  instances, 
however,  he  gratified  his  forest  friends  by  following  their  customs 
in  th.e  main.   /   .      t      .  •  , 

The  most  notable  condolence  recorded  by  Sir  William,  was 
that  of  Kaghswughtioni,  or  Red  Head,  .at  Onondaga,  in  June, 
1756.  That  all  the  addresses  did  not  follow  a  fixed  form  is 
evixlent,  because,  at  the  "Camp  at  Oneida,  15th  June,  1751),  A. 
M.,  Sir  William  and  the  Sachems  of  every  Nation  prepared  the 
several  speeches  of  Condolence  to  be  made  at  Onondaga  u])on 


144  NOTES   ON   CUSICK'S    SIX    NATIONS. 

the  death  of"  the  chief,  "  and  chose  the  proper  Belts  for  the 
Ceremony."  On  the  i8th  of  June,  two  Cayugas  met  him  "at 
the  place  where  formerly  the  Onondagas  lived,  about  five  miles 
from  their  present  habitation."  Three  Cayugas  met  him  when 
a  mile  from  Onondaga  Castle,  "and  a  halt  was  made  of  twp 
hours,  to  settle  the  formalities  of  the  condolence,  agreeable  to 
the  ancient  custom  of  the  6  Nations.  Then  Sir  William  marched 
on  at  the  head  of  the  sachems  singing  the  condoling  song  which 
contains  the  names,  laws  and  customs  of  their  renowned  an- 
cestors, and  praying  to  God  that  their  deceased  brother  might 
be  blessed  with  happiness  in  his  other  state."  This  part  was 
performed  by  one  Mohawk  and  two  Oneida  principal  chiefs. 
"  When  they  came  within  sight  of  the  castle,  the  head  sachems 
and  warriors  met  Sir  William,  where  he  was  stopped,  they  having 
placed  themselves  in  a  half  moon  across  the  road,  sitting  in  pro- 
found silence;  there  a  halt  was  made  about  an  hour,  during 
which  time  the  aforesaid  sachems  sung  the  condoling  song." 
Then  all  rose  up,  and  shook  hands,  welcoming  him  and  his  com  • 
pany. 

"  Then  Sir  William  marched  on  at  the  head  of  the  warriors, 
the  sachems  falling  into  the  rear,  and  continued  singing  their  con- 
doling song.  On  entering  the  castle  Sir  Wm.  was  saluted  by  all 
the  Indians  firing  their  guns,  which  was  returned  by  all  the  whites 
and  Indians  who  attended  Sir  William.  The  sachems  proceeded 
to  a  green  bower,  adjoining  to  the  deceased  sachem's  house,  pre- 
pared on  purpose,  and  after  they  were  seated  they  sent  for  Sir 
William.  When  he  came  they  addressed  themselves  to  him, 
wiped  away  their  tears,  cleaned  the  throats,  and  opened  the  heart 
according  to  their  customs.     Thus  ended  his  introduction. 

"19  June.  The  full  council  of  all  the  Nations  met,  with  Sir 
William  at  their  head,  to  perforin  the  grand  solemnity  of  Con- 
dolence for  the  death  of  Caghswautioony,  chief  sachem  of  On- 
ondaga. Old  Abraham,  the  head  sachem  of  the  Mohawks,  per- 
formed this  in  the  following  manner."    This  office  belonged  to 


NOTES   ON    CUSICK'S    SIX    NATIONS.  1 45 

the  Younger  Brothers,  but  sometimes  a  speaker  was  borrowed,  as 
is  the  case  now. 

A  large  belt  covered  the  grave,  another  comforted  the  rela- 
tives, a  third  was  given  to  the  council  to  brighten  the  English 
covenant  chain,  two  belts  dispelled  the  clouds  of  day  and  night. 
In  all  eleven  belts  and  tliree  strings  of  wampum  were  given,  an 
enemy's  scalp  "to  replace  the  deceased,  and  with  a  glass  of  runj 
round  to  wa;h  down  all  soricw  and  grief,  the  whole  ceremony  of 
condolence  ended."'  A  note  is  made  in  the  proceedings  of  their 
"  nightly  consultations,  tljat  being  the  time  the  warriors  of  the.  6 
Nations  hold  their  councils,"  as  though  the  warriors  and  sachems 
held  councils  at  different  hours.    . 

A  modern  condolence  differs  much  from  this,  and  a  recent  one 
n)«y  be  described,  held  on  the  Tuscarora  jeservation.  The 
Elder  Brothers  assembled  toward  the  east,  before  noon,  and  sent 
a  runner  to  the  Tuscaroias,  with  a  notched  stick  showing  their 
numbers.  Then  they  formed  in  line,  with  bowed  heads,  and 
marched  towards  the  council  house,  an  Onondaga  chanting  a 
mournful  song.  Midway  they  met  the  Younger  Brothers  com- 
ing from  the  west,  reaching  a.  fire  by  the  rojadside  at  the  same 
moment.  The  Elder  Brothers  ranged  thernselives  on  the  west 
side  of  this,  the  Younger  Brothers  on  the  east.  Lamentations 
followed,  and  then  a  speech  was  made  for  the  Tuscaroras,  which 
was  replied  to  by  the  Onpndagas.  Then  a  chief  slowly  walked 
up  and  down  between  the  lines,  chanting  a  lanaent. 

A  little  later  the  Younger  Brothers  led  the  way  to  the  council 
house,  seating  them,selves  at  the  south  end,  while  the  Elder 
Brothers  were  at  the  nort^.  The  mourning  chant  followed,  con- 
taining the  names  of  the  principal  chiefs.  Then  a  curtain  was 
drawn  iicioss  the  cenlei  of  the  rcom,  the  parlies  remaining  as 
before.  The  Elder  Brothers  began  a  chant,  the  Onondagas 
chanting  fir^t,  in  a  circle  and  with  bowed  heads.  On  a  cane  laid, 
across  their  seats  >\ere  several  strings  of  wampum.  The  curtain 
was  then  removed,  and  chants  and  speeches  followed  from  the 


146.  NOTES   ON   CUSICKS   SIX    NATIONS. 

Onondaga*^,  whose  chief  took  the  wampum  to  the  Younger 
Brothers,  one  bunch- at  a  time,  thus  deHvering  the  law  to  them. 
The  curtain  was  hung  again,  and  the  Younger  Brothers  chanted, 
after  which  the  curtain  was  finally  taken  away.  An  Onondaga 
chief  then  described  the  laws,  and  the  Tuscaroras  returned  the 
wampum,  string  by  string,  saying,  "You  said  this  to  nie:  I  will 
do  right."  Then  La  Fort  said,  "Now  we  are  ready:  show  me 
the  men."  Two  Tuscaroras  were  presented,  and  he  announced 
their  chief  names.  A  charge  was  given,  concluding  with,  "  That 
is  all  I  can  say  to  you,  and  I  think  it  is  enough."  This  ended 
the  condolence,  and  a  feast  followed.  Until  the  new  chief  is 
raised,  the  horns  of  his  predecessor  are  said  to  rest  on  his  grave, 
and  of  old  no  business  could  be  done.  When  the  place  was 
filled,  all  went  on  as  before.  • 

Something  like  the  condoHng  song  was  often  used  in  councils. 
When  Conrad  Weiser  conferred  with  the  Grand  Council  at  On- 
ondaga, July  30,  1743,  "First,  the  Onondagoes  rehearsed  the 
beginning  of  the.  Union  of  the  five  Nations,  Praised  their  Grand- 
fathers' Wisdom  in  estabhshing  the  Union  or  Alliance,  by  which 
they  became  a  formidable  Body  ;  that  they  (now  living)  were  but 
Fools  to  their  wise  Fathers,  Yet  protected  and  accompanied  by 
their  Fathers' Spirit."  •       .  ■   .     • 

Again,  "  Aquoyiota  repeated  all  that  was  said  in  a  singing  way, 
walking  up  and  down  in  the  House,  added  more  in  praise  of  their 
wise  Fathers  and  of  the  happy  union,  repeated  all  the  names  of 
those  Ancient  Chiefs  that  established  it ;  they  no  Doubt,  said  he, 
are  now  God's  and  dwell  in  heaven ;  then  Proclamation  was  made 
that  the  Council  was  now  Opened." 

In  this  council  the  Onondaga  speaker  called  the  Mohawks  and 
Senecas  our  Brothers,  the  Oneidasour  Son,  and  theCayugas  and 
Tuscaroras  our  Younger  Sons.  "After  all  was  over,  according 
to  the  Ancient  Custom  of  that  Ffre,  a  Song  of  Friendship  and 
Joy  was  sung  by  the  Chiefs,  after  this  the  Council  Fire  on  their 
side  was  put  out." 


NOTES   ON    CUSICK'S   SIX   NATIONS.  147. 

When  Weiser  reached  the  Tuscarora  town  of  Canaseraga,  . 
September  8,  1750,  the  Onondagas  sent  to  tell  him  that  Canas- 
satego  had  died  the  night  before,  and  there  could  be  no  council. 
"  It  is  to  be  known  that  the  Six  Nations  dont't  meet  in  council 
when  they  are  in  mourning,  till  some  of  their  friends  or  neigh- 
bors wipe  off  their  tears  and  comfort  their  hearts;  it  is  a  certain 
ceremony,  and  if  they  appear  in  council  without  this  ceremony 
being  performed,  the  dead  person  was  of  no  credit  or  esteem, 
and  it  is  a  certain  affront  to  the  deceased's  friends,  if  he  has  any." 
In  this  case  the  chief  was  distinguished,  and  an  hour  later  another 
runner  announced  that  a  council  had  been  summoned,  contrary 
to  ancient  custom,  on  account  of  the  long  distance  Weiser  had 
come,  and  iheir  high  regard  for  him.  They  held  a  condolence 
on  the  1 2th,  an  Oneida  chief  speaking  in  the  name  of  Weiser, 
and  of  the  Cayugas,  Senecas  and  Tuscaioras,  the  sons  of  the 
Onondagas.  He  "mourned  a  great  man  dead  among  them, 
(accoiding  to  custom  the  dead  man's  name  must  not  be  men-, 
tioned)  he  wiped  off  their  tears,  cleared  their  throats,  and  cleansed 
the  place  where  the  dead  had  sat,  of  any  evil  distemper  which  . 
might  affect  others."         .  .'  •, 

The  following  )ear,  Weiser  bewailed  the  death  of  Canassatego 
and  others,  employing  the  same  Oneida  chief  "After  most  of, 
the  Indians  met,  Canachquiesson  stood  up,  and  begg'd  me  to,, 
walk  up  and  down  the  floor,  and  to  sing  lamentation  songs  in 
very  melancholy  time ;  which  he  contmued  till  all  were  met,  and 
some  time  after ;  in  the  song  mention  was  made  of  the  person  or 
persons  for  which  he  mourned,  and  their  virtues  praised."  Several 
graves  weie  covered  by  giving  bells. 

Condolerces,  on  the  other  hand,  were  used  by  the  Iioquois  for 
French  cr  Enghsh  losses.     At  Albany,  in  1702,  the  chiefs  of  the  '. 
Five  Nations  "sang  a  i^orrowful  fong  which  they  had  made  upon  i 
the  death  of  his  late  Majesty.     ♦     »     ♦     •     Since  it  has  pleased 
God  to  take  King  William  to  himself  into  Heaven,  we  do  now    , 
bury  the  remembiance  of  it.     Condoling   his  death,  and  as  a 


148  NOTES   ON    CUSICK'S    SIX    NATIONS. 

token  thereof  do  give  10  beavers."  Thirteen  years  later  they 
condoled  the  death  of  Queen  Anne,  in  a  similar  way. 

Chiefs,  however,  were  raised  at  almost  any  council,  and  often 
by  chiefs  of  the  same  nation.  At  a  general  council  at  Mount 
Johnson,  in  1755,  "The  chief  sachem  of  Oneida  then  rose  up 
and  addressing  himself  to  the  Mohawks,  Onondagas  and  Sene- 
cas,  and  said  :  Fathers  and  Polder  Brothers.  We  acquaint  you 
that  one  of  our  sachems,  called  Connochquisie,  is  dead  ;  we  raise 
up  this  boy  (presenting  one)  in  his  room,  and  give  him  the  Fame 
nr'.me."  He  repeated  this  to  Col.  Johnson,  with  a  string  of  wam- 
pum, who  confirmed  the  appointment.  Later,  in  the  same  coun- 
cil, the  Oneidas  and  Tuscaroras  presented  two  young  men, 
"  worthy  to  be  made  sachems,  and  desired  they  might  be  ac- 
cepted as  such,  and  that  the  Colonel  would  distinguish  them  with 
the  usual  clothing  as  sachems.     He  complied  with  their  request." 

On  February  i6th,  1756,  he  assisted  the  Oneidas  and  Tusca- 
roras in  condoling  the  Canajoharie  Mohawks,  on  the  death  of  the 
great  Hendrick,  or  Tiyanoga,  and  other  chiefs.  On  the  27th  a 
successor  was  presented  for  Tarrachioris,  but  they  had  not  yet 
chosen  Hendrick's  successor.  The  other  nations  seem  to  have 
had  nothing  to  do  with  this  and  earlier  raisings,  but  this  simple 
ceremony  was  afterwards  combined  with  the  condolence  for 
convenience. 


CACHES, 

Besides  graves  and  ossuaries,  there  are  found  deposits  and  pits 
of  other  kinds.  Very  often  the  plow  turns  up  a  quantity  of  flint, 
implements,  which  in  New  York  are  usually  of  one  size  and  form. 
They  would  serve  for  knives,  but  are  generally  legarded  as  un- 
finished implements,  buried  together  for  future  use.  Once  I  have 
known  of  a  cache  of  marine  bivalve  shells,  roughly  chipped  to 
less  than  an  inch  in  diameter,  and  intended  for  disk  beads.  It' 
is  not  now,  however,  my  intention  to  describe  antique  articles, 


NO  IKS   ON    CUSICK's   SIX    NATIONS.  149 

but  another  class  of  pits  requires  more  attention.  Many  fine  ex* 
ampies  still  remain,  and  I  looked  over  a  small  piece  of  woodland 
in  Montgomery  county,  which  is  completely  filled  with  contig- 
uous pits,  jeveral.feet  deep  and  in  diameter.  I  have  met  with 
them  elsewhere,  but  not  in  as  fine  condition.  These  were  the 
corn  pits  of  the  Iroquois,  but  the  practice  was  a  general  one. 

The  French  term  cache^  or  a  hiding  place,  has  become  general 
for  thiM  mode  of  concealment,  which  is  frequent  among  traders 
and  trapp.ers.  Father  Hennepin  described  this,  in  his  travels  in 
1680.  "'We  took  up  the  green  sod,  and  laid  it  by,  and  digged  a 
hole  in  the  earth,  where  we  put  ©ur  goods,  and  covered  them  with 
pieces  of  timl)er  and  earth,  and  then  put  in  again  the  green  turf ; 
so  that  It  was  impossible  to  suspect  that  any  hole  had  been 
digged  under  it,  for  we  flung  the  earth  into  the  river."  These 
were  often  forgotten,  or  the  owners  never  returned,  and  if  they 
were  made  under  the  roots  of  some  large  tree,  they  may  seem  of 
high  antiquity.  Grain  caches  have  always  occurred  in  or  about 
old  forts,  and  are  often  open.  Sometimes  they  are  yet  full  of 
carbonized  corn,  but  I  have  obseived  that  the  germ  is  destroyed. 

In  the  early  "  New  England  Prospect,"  it  is  said,  "Their  corn 
being  ripe,  they  gather  it,  and  drying  it  hard  in  the  sunne,  con- 
veigh  it  to  their  barnes,  which  be  great  holes  digged  in  the 
ground  in  forme  of  a  brasse  pot,  seeled  with  rinds  of  trees,  where- 
in they  put  their  corne,  covering  it  from  the  inquisitive  search  of 
their  gurmandizing  husbands,  who  would  eat  up  both  their 
allowed  portion,  and  reserved  seede  if  they  knew  where  to  find  it." 
The  Iroquois  women  do  not  seem  to  have  had  this  trouble,  but 
openly  used  both  the  bark  garner  and  the  cache,  making  the  lat- 
ter in  the  same  way.  .  . 

In  the  Esopus  war,  of  1663,  the  Dutch  found  "last  year's 
maize,  which  they  still  had  in  pits  in  great  abundance  in  their 
corn-fields  and  around ;  their  fort."  At  this  time  they  cut  down 
about  250  acres  o*"  <i(>Tfl;  ^'and  f)urnt'  iabove  a  hurdred  pits  full 
of  coin  and  beanc,"  .  WJieja  .the  Or.cndaga  ion  was  burned,  in 


•   •  0 


>5^  NOTES    ON    CUSICK's    SIX    NA  llONS. 

1696,  the  caches  of  corn  were  so  hastily  made  that  they  were 
easily  (hscovered  by  the  French.  De  Nonville  also  found  a  vast 
amount  of  corn  in  the  Seneca  caches,  in  1687,  besides  all  the  rest. 
This  burial  of  grain  and  nnplements  has  caused  an  erroneous 
antiquity  to  be  imputed  to  some  things,  and  the  addition  of  fresh 
earth  to  the  floors  of  lodges  is  the  foundation  of  another  fretpient 
mistake.  Fireplaces  would  naturally  l>u  hollowed  out  in  houses; 
in  an  enemy's  country  it  became  a  warlike  i)recaulion.  In  the 
account  of  1666,  this  is  mentioned  as  a  common  Irocpiois  prac- 
tice :  "  When  night  falls  they  make  a  hole  in  the  earth,  where 
they  kindle  a  fire  with  hark  to  t*)ok  their  meat,  if  they  have  any, 
and  that  during  three  or  four  days.'' 

Mr.  Morgan  fell  into  some  errors  regarding  <:ooking  and  eat- 
ing, in  his  zeal  for  a  theor\-.  We  have  accounts  of  feasts  at 
almost  all  hours,  and  of  every  kind,  but  as  a  rule,  even  now, 
the  men  eat  first.  For  the  public  feasts  general  offerings 
are  made,  and  when  the  Planting  l-east  occurs,  at  a  set  time  ifien 
and  boys  start  out  with  bows  and  guns,  to  shoot  all  they  can. 
This  forms  a  kind  of  "pot  luck,"  relished  only  by  them.  Every 
vear,  however,  now  .'■ees  innovations  on  ancient  usages,  and  soon 
all  ciiitoms  of  the  famous  Long  House  will  have  pas;  eel  away. 


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ADOPT  ON  Of  Captives,....     95  I  Chautauqua, 
Agent  from  Heaven,...  13,     ^6   Cherokees, 

^g^'^^'^oue, 43^    y6 

Algonquins, , 

Ambassador  misused, .  25 

y^''^'^ S4,"72',  loi 

Ir^'- 4, 46 

Atotarho,...i6,37,  62,  66, 
141,  142 


PAOE 

-22.    75 

Chronology, ^^  j^g 

Chiefs,  36,67,  98;  war,  37,  103 
^  pine  tree,  69;  raising  of,  148 

^''^"^' 17,30,57,69,    82 

Condolence,...  53,  69,  143,  ,47 
103   Confederacyformed,  13, 17,    44 
-J  64.  141,  142. 

Sr '°"''^^'    ^^?^"'•.i ^3,59,X49 

BgNe;k "'    9x,^ounc     Ho,se, 66 

RirHnr.!' "^V:, '^'      7'    ^«""C'K 36,69,96,146 

Bird  of  the  Clouds.  62,  141,  142   Creation,  ....  i      !, 

^rJ.^'Z' "'  49  cusick, Albert,.. ;;;;;;42;  t' 

r^^^";:'' ^3'    75         "       David, J 

Bones  of  Animals, ^i        u      j^^^^^  ^^ 

Burial  Customs,  30.  78,  80,  108  ,       "       Nicholas,  [[['.'.',         4' 

cT.T\ ''*^'  '49  ;  I^^^^D  Feasts, 82,  ic8,  i  r. 

^^'''^'f^:Eo 43.  147  i  I^eer, 3^ 

Cannibalism- 25,  58,    76  '  Deities 

Cartier's  Vovaae.  ,^  .  '  t^^„  i-. 


o 
91 
45 


Cartier  s  Voyage ,^^  :  Dog  Tail  Nation, .  .  .". V.  24;    Z 

Cayugas,,2,57,Chiefe,...     68  I  Donhionha,. .  tl, 


Ceremonies, 
Charmed  Suit, 


97jDieamr, 85,  iiS 

i3i|D:eam  Feast, 85,  119 


^52 


INDi:x    TO    NOTES    ON    CUSICKS   SIX    NATIONS. 


PAGE 


VOE 


Earthqcakk, 35»  103    Hendrick, /..... 65,  148 

Hiawatha.  .62.  63,  67,  129,  137 

Hidden  Persons, 112 

f^O"ses,.., 47,  4y,  123 

Hochelaga, 105,  114 

Hunting, 34,    (ji 

Hurons,..49,  93-  105,  106,  no 

Iroquois  Name. 3,  45,    65 

^«wer, 35,    95 

Increase 95 

Jealousies, 96 

'\         (Stories), 127 

Kahanauka,... 27,  31,  33,    77 

Kah  Kwahs 70,    89 

Kanawaga, 5,    43 

Kanhaitauneekay, 32,    89 

Kawnesats 33^    89 

Kentucky 25,    76 

Land, 49 

Lad  and  Chestnuts 131 


Earthworks, 19,    73 

^^^'•P^eS' 35'    95 

Elder  and  Younger  Broth- 
ers,  35,  65,  145,  146,  147 

Election  of  Senators,  ...17,    66 
Eries,...3i,  38,  70,  89,  90,  104 

Esurgny,.. 114 

Errrata, le^ 

Etiquette, 35^    g^ 

f'^^'^  Spirit, 5,    35 

Fairies, 48,  112,  114 

Falling  Woman, i,  43,    45 

Fals^e  Faces . , 30,  84,    86 

Fashions, u^ 

Feasts,. 87,  150 

Fireplaces 123,  150 

^•s^^"g' 35,    92 

Flying   Heads, 14.    60 

Food 10,  13,  14,  48,    59 

,,"    fo'I>^ad, io9iLion, 18.  71,  135 

roreign  People, 5,    4^i  Long  House,. ..  13,  32,  36,  59 

Forts,  5,  14,  17,  19,  21,  23,     27  I,, 

31,  60,  loi.                              !  ^^I^^^'^'J"  Bear..  .  .  ,8,  36,  71 

i  Massawomekes, ^^ 

Giants,  5,  6,  8,  19,  25,  47,  134    Medicine  Man,! 31,  88 

*35-                          ,                 I  Mississaugas,  18,  20,  24,  27,  32 

Golden  City, 10,    49  j      70,  io6. 

^'^'^%y^"^' ^3  '  Mohawks,   12,  37,  38,  54,    55 

Great  Head, 128:      58,95,108. 

Great  Island, 2,     16  ;  Mohawk  Chiefs, 67 

SP'"^' 45,    48  :  Mohegans, 35.  103.  108 

^'""*^ 95    Monsters, 2.      5 


INDEX    TO    NOTES    ON    CUSICK's    SIX    NATIONS. 


^53 


PAQK 


Months, 34,    93 

Moon, 3,    35 

Mosquito 18,  71,  140 

Names, 125 


PAOB 

Scalps re 

Schenectady, ",37,    54 

Senecas,  12,  17,  20,  24.  58,  10 1 
Chiefs, 69 


Names  Of  Chiefs 5^  ;  Serpents,. ..  10,   11,  14,  16,    20 


Nanticokes, 29,  77 

Nets 92,  93 

Niagara, 18,  70 

Northern  Confederacy,  .10,  48 

OjiBWAYS 106 

Okwencha, 132 


50.  73- 

Shawnees, 15,  19,  -72 

Shotyerrouskwe, 9,    47 

Situation  of  Towns, 107 

Spirits, no,  113 

Souls no,  118 

Souls,  Cry  of, ^  .  1 1 1 


Oneidas,   12,  19,  55,    65  }  Squawkihows, iy,    69 

Oneida  Chiefs, 67  |  Stone  Giants, . .  15,  28,  61,    77 

"       Stone 56   Stone  Heaps 81 

Onondagas 1 2,  56,  107    Sugar 35,  59 

Onondaga  Chiefs, 68   Susquehanna  River, 19,    73 


Oneida  Lake, 143 

Origin  of  Iroquois,  11,  46,    48 
53,  64,  72,  84,  89,  105. 

Ossuaries 80,  108,  in 

Oswego  Falls, 11,    53 

Ottawas. .  .  .22,  24,  25,27,    74 


"  Indians,  54,  72,  100 

Tarenya WAGON,  II,  16,  18,    23 
37.  42,  43,  45,  53. 

Targets 99 

Three  Sisters, 128 


Thunders, 50,  127 

Peace  House, 32   Tobacco 31,51,    87 

Pipes, 17,  51,  87,  100  I  Torture no 

Poison 29,    77  ^  Tree  Eaters, 59 

Poisonous  Animal 22;     "     of  Peace.  .  17,  37,  66,  103      ' 

Pounding  Corn 36,  50    98  I  Turtle, 2,    42 

Punishments,.. 30,  36,  63,  84   Tuscaroras,  13,  35,  58,  71,    98 


Queen  Yagowanea 31,    88 


Two  Minds, 2, 


42 


Quisquiss,  or  Mammoth,io^   47    Utensils 15,  61,  113 

Salt  Lake, 18,  71,     140   Vampyre 30,  78,  108 


154  INDEX     TO    NOTKS    ON    CUSICK's    SIX    NATIONS. 


r*(iic 


I'AOK 

Wami-im.   17.   62.   66.    73.    85.    Wilderness 35-  9^ 

115.  129,  136.                              Winged  Kish 2\ 

Week    1  )ays 94    Wit<lies ..2().7-j,  1 30 

Whites 35.  '41    Women 1^6 

White  Dog 31.    85    Va tatonwatka 8.  47 


1,       1.  ■  -» 


s-      .-■        •■  i- 


•tf- 


^J  ■  ^' 


I    I    I    I    I 

* 


I    I    I 


*  I  *      *  1  * 


r<.     I 


•tf 


ERRATA 


I'age  53,  line  22,  read  Tarenyawagon. 

Page  55,  line  20,  read  1694. 

Page  57,  line    7,  read  Sagochiendaguete. 

Page  57,  line  11,  read  one  for  our.  -         *:  " 

Page  58,  line  31,  read  Tu-hah-te-ehn-yah-wah-kou. 

Page  63,  line  23,  read  contrived. 

Page  64,  line  29,  read  Pyrlaeus. 

Page  68,  line    8,  read  Ho-was-ha-tah-koo. 

Page  68,  line  13,  read  Te-hat-kah-tons. 

Page  68,  place,"  The  Cayuga  chiefs  are  next,"  before  Te-ka-ha- 

hoonk. 
Page  68,  line  32,  read  Ha-ta-yon-e. 
Page  69,  line    3,  read  Des-kah-he. 
Page  69,  line  25,  read  principle. 
Page  71,  line  32,  read  Vanderkemp. 
Page  82,  line  12,  read  Manitoulin. 
Page  85,  line  14,  read  Ononhouaroria. 
Page  104,  line  i6,  read  Hochelaga. 


